I was grousing to a friend that Canadians had more than their fair share of three-day weekends. It seemed that our cool neighbors to the north were observing some sort of national or provincial holiday at least twice a month. He agreed and gleefully informed me that they had just announced yet another holiday. "They're calling it 'Tuesday.'"

Special days abound, particularly at this time of year: Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and Father’s Day. But my desktop calendar includes many lesser known but equally guilt-inducing observances such as: Receptionist Day (May 12), Ride-Your-Bike-to-Work Day (May 21), Hug Your Cat Day (May 30), National Lima Bean Haters Day (my birthday), etc. Coincidentally, cards for all but one of these occasions are available at a Hallmark store near you. Hmmm.

Holidays are not new, you know; they are as old as the Bible. Besides the weekly Sabbath, God established three extended periods of commemoration for the Israelites called Feasts. By the time Jesus came on the scene, the Jews had added a few more whose sacred observance was a measure of one's commitment to godliness.

When the early church began to reach beyond the borders of religious Judaism, the conflict caused by this false standard of righteousness was inevitable. Born again believers from across the Roman Empire came out of cultures that included diverse religious and nationalistic holiday traditions. Which, if any, of these festivals were okay to observe? Should the new converts be required to celebrate the Old Testament feasts? The problem demanded immediate attention if the church of the first century had any hope of making it to the second.

Fortunately, this holiday hubbub did not escape God's notice. He inspired the Apostle Paul to convey His will to the early church with these words:

The most enlightening observation about these verses and the remainder of the paragraph, is that the word Lord is used seven times. Obviously, Paul's primary concern was that God be honored as Master of believers' lives every day. That meant that these new Christians should not join in the licentious behavior that often accompanied these holidays. And those believers who chose not to commemorate the festivities altogether were not to judge those who did.

The lesson is still relevant because not all believers agree on what are appropriate holidays. What about Halloween? Or the correct date for Christmas? Or using pagan nomenclature (Easter) to identify our most hallowed event (Christ's resurrection)? Is your blood pressure rising yet? Read Romans 14:5-9 again. First and foremost, before coming to any conclusions, be committed to honoring the Lord and giving Him thanks.

While this may not answer the question about specific holidays, it’s the starting point. And just knowing where to begin is something to celebrate!

Blessings,