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WHAT IS THE FEAST ABOUT?

D a v i d   P a m   M c Q u e l



What are they feasting?
As December hits, the already warm ambience in Abidjan starting taking a new dimension. Children where so excited as they giggles in the classroom went endless. Even before school starts, there were many endless stories to share.

The kids had different categories of families as well different temperaments.
Me my father will buy me a bicycle.
Me my dad is buying me a piano.
My father said we are traveling to South Africa for the Christmas.
Others went quiet. Either they are from a polygamous family or their parents are irreligious or they are too poor to afford anything special.

Halshe work at 3am just a week to Christmas. His neighbous wife was not having it. Last Christmas he calmed her down, after she got on warpath for giving only 50,000cfa for Christmas shopping. Her friend's husband is better placed financially and gave his wife 300,000cfa. Halshe's wife will not understand any grammatical explanation.
She work him at night her dateline came and passed her demands unmet.

The ambience in the market is unbelievable. Muslims, pagans, Christians and animists became one family in the market. Everyone calls December the month of gold mining. Meaning the make the most money in December.

Lebanese, Indians, the French and all owners of shopping malls are really nice to the locals. Racism dwindles in December as the harvesting the pckets of the locals. Dioula and Burkinabes bring out live chickens from nowhere as if the imported them. Souvenirs, paraphernalia and Christmas trees, unbelievable.

Temporary drinking bars spring up like mushrooms. The local brewery produces unbelievable litres of alcohol. The alcohol consumed in December alone exceeds the consumption of six months.

All this in the name of celebrating the birth of Christ!

We went out this evening with a fellow pastor. After our appointment, he tried to show me round, and move passed young people feasting and brawling and arguing and other shameful acts, my friend turned to me and asked me what are they feasting?

Worldwide it is accepted that Jesus is being celebrated. Nations, governments, cultures and cities worldwide set holidays and invest a lot into Christmas.

But is it truly Christ been honored?
Do they know Christ that celebrate it?
A man left his wife and took another man's to a different city to celebrate.
A married wife took advantage of her husband's absence to spend time with a lover.
Young people indulging in alcohol, drugs and wild orgies.
Company staff embezzle company finances to buy gifts for love so she can celebrate Christmas.

All these defeats the very person celebrated.

It is ironic to fail an examination trying to celebrate your teacher.
You don't destroy a farm as a way of honoring the farmer.
How on earth do you celebrate Christ with the very acts He came to redeem you from?

1Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.

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