Let’s think Christmas. The election is over
Before December came to crown the activities of last year, melodious psalms of praise had already conspired with huge billboards portraying men of God carrying messages of “Cross Over,” “Pass Over,” “Triumphant Entry,” among others.
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Men of God such as Pastor Mensah Otabil, Evangelist Dag Heward Mills, Archbishop Nicholas Ducan Williams, and Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah, to whom some of the above catch phrases are connected, had laced their boots to guard their flock to make a transition from the ailing 2015 into a beaming 2016.
The joy and festivities that accompanied December 2015 were virtually absent this year as the campaign activities by political parties reached their peak. In view of the above, the mention of great churches such as International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Royal House Chapel International (RHCI), Lighthouse Chapel International (LHCI), Winners Chapel, and the names of men of God did not gain the usual frenzy this time of the year.
The twist
In its place, the names of political parties such as the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP), as well as political figures including President John Mahama, Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, were on the lips of everybody.
Also, psalms of thanksgiving such as “Ayeyi wura,” “Lord you are so Good,” were replaced with political songs and jingles such as “Onaapo,” “Nana ye Winner” and “Mahama Paper.”
Unlike the 2008 elections that went three rounds, travelling into January, 2009, before the NDC’s candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, was declared the winner, the December 7, 2016 polls were a one-touch victory for NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo.
One would have expected that with the elections over, the Christmas fever will creep in, immediately, but post-election celebrations and their attendant problems have deprived Christmas of the shine it deserves. Even though the elections are over, the streets of Accra are still flooded with many billboards portraying political activities at the expense of those for the festive season.
If for nothing at all, the relatively peaceful election and the fact that the favour of God located us as individuals, families, organisations, and as a country, especially, in trying moments, were enough to put all other celebrations aside and for us to unite to give Christmas the attention it deserves.
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What is Christmas?
Christmas is an annual Christian religious festival that is celebrated on December 25, to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God that was sent down to the world in human form to save mankind from sin. Though a Christian religious festival, Christmas has become a worldwide celebration, with secular activities. The sale of Christmas trees, waiting for Santa Claus, and other activities form an integral part of the festive season.
The Messianic birth of Jesus Christ was announced by an angel of the Lord to Virgin Mary, a young virgin who was promised in marriage to Joseph.
As fate would have it, the Saviour of the world was born, and the Bible paints a vivid picture of that holy birth in the following words: “Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.
She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger– there was no room, for them to stay in the inn,” (Luke 2:4.7).
Further events that unfolded show that three Wise Men from the East, who were Shepherds, heard about the birth of Jesus and were led by a divine star to where He was, where they presented gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to Him.
Using that act of charity and homage by these shepherds as a reference point, the act of exchanging gifts has become an integral part of Christmas. As predicted earlier that the Kingdom of Jesus will never end, the celebration of his birth has become so famous that even people of the secular world have accepted it and made it an important event in the calendar year.
The ugly
The other side of this development, however, is the rate at which its celebration has been reduced to secular activities such as drinking of alcohol, engaging in acts of promiscuity, and organisation of pool parties, rather than focusing on the spiritual significance of the day.
The crux of the matter is that Christmas ought to be a period during which individuals, families, organisations, and countries look back and count their blessings, thanking God for the favour and grace upon their lives.
Christmas ought to be a period to take stock of our sojourn on earth and try to assess, reflect, and make projections on how to balance the account books of our lives.
It is quite common, as part of the extensive celebration of the festive period, for people from all walks of life to fill the churches on December 31 night, ostensibly, to make a triumphant entry into 2017. Even as we do all of these, what we need to bear in mind is whether or not our lifestyle is a reflection of the purity associated with His birth or if our acts and conduct is in accordance with his will.
Security
Just as King Herod hatched a diabolic plan to prevent the star of baby Jesus from shining, there are many star-killers, especially, on festive occasions as this, who are scheming to deprive the public of the joy they deserve.
The world woke up on Monday, December 19, only to be greeted with the news of an attack on a Christmas Market at Berlin, Germany, killing 12 people and injuring 48 others. This underscores the need for the security agencies to be on the alert even as we celebrate this all-important festival, so that many people do not end up laughing at the wrong side of their mouths.
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It is refreshing that the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has announced the launch of “Father Christmas,” an initiative to deploy police personnel to churches, markets, and other social gatherings, to protect lives and properties. It is important for all and sundry to back the effort of the police by putting in place personal safety measures and looking out for star-killers.
Don’t forget to wish a neighbour “Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”