- The Corona Holiday Season
Like so many other the areas of our lives, the Corona Pandemic has impacted how many of us should celebrate and
experience the 2020 Holiday Season. I say should because not everyone is on board or with the program.
The fallen nature in all of us (Romans 7) is inherently hostile, resistant, and defiant to God and the things of God.
Among the things of God are the delegated forms of authority (governmental, marital, parental, organizational,
that He has established (Romans 13).
Those who choose not to comply (Rom. 13: 1) with the restrictive guidelines place themselves and others (Phil. 2:
4/Matt. 7: 12) in harm’s way.
If we choose not to be a part of the solution, we are part of the problem.
Even if our self-centered, negligent, or reckless choices do not result in our sickness and/or in the infection of
others, we play a part in encouraging others who will. We have a share in the consequences.
Some see their boldness as an expression of their faith and their confidence, that as a child of God, He with protect
them. But the wheels on the wagon of this position begin to wobble when one considers the percentage of those
who have been stricken were Christians.
Satan tried to use this "God will protect you… “ argument in what was a clear attempt to destroy His humanity
(Luke 4: 9-11).
Granted, there are times when people must go out in public during this Pandemic.
Thank God for the medical professionals, first responders, and essential workers that are willing to place
themselves in harm’s way. Such heroes accept the fact that sickness and death may very well be the result of the
(John 15: 13) love they have for others.
There are times when the general population must go out in public to address essential medical and logistical
needs.
But to do so in ways contrary to the preventative guidelines is a choice that some may have to live (or die) with,
should they become infected and/or later be found to have been a super-spreader.
Individual freedom has its necessary limitations.
Most of us have gotten a chuckle out of the postings on social media displaying the state’s governor standing
outside of the windows peeking into the windows of private homes checking for compliance.
The truth is that in a free society, the government does not have the means to adequately enforce any law or
policy if the majority (or a sizable minority) of the population choose not to comply.
The stability of a free society is based on the concept that the population will choose to obey the laws and policies
of the government.
Advancing disciples do not need for there to be a law of Man in order to perceive and/or to do the right thing.
Doing the right thing is seldom easy, popular, or without personal sacrifice.
The Corona Pandemic, and its impact on this Holiday Season came on us suddenly, but the changes in how, where,
and when we celebrate the Holiday Season has slowly eroded over the years. - Being “over the (thirty-year) hill” twice already, I can remember when the Holiday Season began on Thanksgiving
and ended on New Year’s, with Christmas being the high point for the young and the young at heart.
In the more-recent decades, our commercial-driven society has backed up the start of the Holiday Season to
October (or sooner), with Christmas music being heard and decorations being seen in the malls and department
stores. It became the time of year when the latest toys for children of all ages dominated the television
commercials.
In more-recent years, the entertainment industry has also promoted the Holiday Season as being a second
Valentine’s Day season; a time to rekindle former relationships or to establish new ones.
As these alternatives took center stage, the “reason for the season” slowly dropped out of sight for many
celebrants.
The Holiday Season continued to be one in which family and friends would gather together, feast, party on, and
share (or fake/tolerate) social gatherings, with the birth of Christ getting lost somewhere in the shuffle.
As each holiday would come and go, how it went would naturally be the subject matter of conversation in the days
that followed. When asked, the usual response would be a report on gifts exchanged and/or the social interaction
(good and bad) that took place, with little, if any, mention of any spiritual significance.
Although social distancing due to the Coronavirus has put a damper on many of our holiday season traditions, on-
line shopping and delivery has managed to maintain the tradition of exchanging gifts.
Sad to say, in many cases, even the tradition of exchanging gifts has been reduced to making investments seeking
something in return, or done in order to fulfil some sense of obligation.
Investments and obligations, real and imagined, are NOT gifts. The only strings attached to a gift should be the
ribbons.
Many Christians, in an attempt to justify their own stinginess, conveniently come out with the “reason for the
season” line, but take the principle no further when making other holiday plans or receiving gifts from others.
Unlike the presents that Santa brings to “good” boys and girls, no one ever has or ever will be good enough to
deserve the Christmas gift that God sent to a lost and dying world. It is a gift that cannot be bought, earned, or
received via good behavior or religious ceremony.
Like the fabled Santa, the existing God has maintained a list of names in a book throughout the course of the
Church Age.
God’s list does not contain names of the nice or naughty ones among us. From His viewpoint, there are no
righteous ones (Romans 3: 10). The names on the list in His book are those who have been born again (John 3: 5,
7). Anyone whose name is not on THIS list will spend all of Eternity future in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).
Regardless of what impact the Corona Pandemic may have on the 2020 Holiday Season, just knowing we are on
the Rev.20: 15 list gives us much to be thankful for; much to celebrate; and much to cause us to make resolutions
in order to bring maximum glory to God.
In the not-too-distant past, there would at least have been a moment set aside during the celebration of
Thanksgiving to give thanks to God for the holiday meal and for the many blessings that God had provided during
the previous year(s).
There was a time when Christmas would include going to a worship service focused on the incarnation of God the
Son, and the part it played in God’s plan of salvation. It was not a day of obligation, but an hour or so of joyful
celebration. - There was a time when New Year’s Eve would be a good time for a 2Cor. 13: 5 examination, and the making of
resolutions to address the issues that such examinations would raise.
The devil lives to deny God the glory He desires to receive from His children.
The devil has had much success in taking the Thanks out of Thanksgiving, Christ out of Christmas, and the
resolutions out of New Year's.
Is there a Biblical explanation and solution to the impact that the restrictions that the Corona Pandemic has
brought to the 2020 Holiday Season?
According to 2Cron. 7: 14 KJV, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land.”
In response to the consequences of the national discipline that we are experiencing, much of the Christian
Community of our day would like to cut the list of the four conditions of 2Chron. 7: 14 down to just one (prayer),
and promptly return to the way things were.
The LAST thing that God wants to see is for a nation under discipline is to promptly return to the way things were!
If there are no lessons learned, all of the pain, loss, and suffering would have then been in vain.
Being a beneficiary of intercessory prayer, I would never dispute its power. But God is not going to grant prayer
requests that do not line up with what he has mind (Luke 22: 42/2Cor. 12: 8, 9).
Therefore, sometimes the answer to our prayer requests is going to be YES. Sometimes the answer is going to be
NO. Many times, the answer is NOT RIGHT NOW.
Q: How long will the Corona Pandemic (or anything else) last that God has sent or allowed to take place?
A: As long as it takes to accomplish its objective (Matt. 5: 18/1Chron. 21: 14, 15).
In the meantime, advancing disciples do not need “a” designated day(s), a social gathering in order to give thanks;
to celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ; to conduct 2Cor. 13: 5 examinations in order to make resolutions.
Christian fellowship is a fine thing, but many giant steps along the road to spiritual maturity are taken when we are
alone with the Lord, separated from people and the distractions that social gatherings can generate (Luke 10: 38-
42).
Seasons come and go. Along with them, all the emotions (good and bad) that the memories of holidays past, and
the hopes of holidays future generate.
The more of life one experiences, the more that the traditional Holiday Season can become a bitter-sweet
experience. While it is generally a happy time for many, it can be a hard time for those going through a rough
patch. The joy that the walking wounded see others enjoying only seems to add salt to their open wounds.
While the devil hopes that pain, suffering, and losses incurred during the Corona Pandemic will shake the battered
faith (2Cor. 4: 8, 9) of many, nothing will infuriate him more than to see those who survive come out more
spiritually mature than before it came.
Thankful people will welcome earthy prosperity (3John 2), but are content (Phil. 4: 11-12) with what they presently
have. Born again believers joyfully celebrate the Incarnation, acknowledging its eternal significance. Advancing
disciples perceive the need for ongoing examinations (2Cor. 13: 5) and making the appropriate adjustments
(Romans 8: 29). - For the mature believer, circumstances will not change the spiritual significance and his/her ability to celebrate this
Corona Holiday Season (Job 2: 10/Psalms 34: 1/1Thess. 5:18).