Christmas and the end of the year are almost upon us! How could this year have passed by so quickly, when there were so many times (like those interminable lectures by professors who were totally full of themselves) where time dragged on so slowly that we thought the end would never come?

I don’t know how this year affected you… but for me, I was touched by almost as much tragedy and sorrow as I was by forward movement and joy. Thank God, we don’t usually all have the same difficult times at the same time! There are always some of us on top of things while others of us are having tough times “getting through it!”

And because it’s that way, there’s bound to be someone who is able to comfort us when we need to be comforted the most. In the same way, we find ourselves able to bring comfort to others, when they find themselves struggling at a time of need. To no small extent, it’s that way because God made it be that way.

Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. We celebrate the most wonderful event imaginable… the time when God reached out to mankind and sent Jesus Christ to Earth, to bring the answers to our problems and to be the solution to our dilemma as a race.

Talk about troubles: until Jesus came, every person in the world had the same problem at the same time—and there was no solution to that problem!

• Every person was a sinner (the Bible says, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23).
• Every person had earned a trip to hell (the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23).
• Every person needed a Savior (the Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans 3:10.)

Well, those problems are still with us. Every person is a sinner. Every person has earned a trip to hell. Every person needs a Savior. But when God sent Jesus (the first Christmas gift), He gave us the answer to the terrible problem we all have in common… the problem of making it into eternity.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

America has just emerged from a very contentious national election, in which more born-again Christians participated than ever before. It cannot be denied that the outcome of the election was determined by the votes of “the religious right.” Consequently, there is a bright spotlight now being shined on the actions of people who call themselves “born-again” or “evangelical” or “fundamentalist” Christians.

Our basic tenets—our foundational beliefs—are being questioned and challenged by those of a different persuasion. They want to know what drives this group of people who have developed such clout in the American political process. They want to test our beliefs… and if at all possible, bring them crashing down around our feet.

Don’t be surprised if you are put on the spot, and asked questions like:

• If God is good (if there is a God at all), then why does He allow things like war, rape, murder, child abuse, terrorism, kidnappings, beheadings and such?
• Why does He allow sickness, poverty and death?
• Why do Christians still get depressed?

Perhaps you’ve asked those questions yourself! Well, before this school year is out, we’ll talk more about these things. I hope you’ll mark the Collegiate Letter as one of your favorite pages on the web, and visit us each month. I guarantee it will be interesting and challenging.

But the short answer is, that God already provided the cure for these ailments when He sent Jesus to Earth nearly 2,000 years ago. The world, by and large, has never taken the antidote to its problems by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. And as you know from biology, only the total eradication of any infectious disease can stop it from manifesting itself somewhere else within a population.

Christmas can be at the same time a happy and a melancholy holiday. Nervous breakdowns and suicides increase tremendously during this season. So I would offer the following wishes and thoughts for your holidays.

First, I hope that you will take the time to remember what this season is really about, and will be able to renew the feelings of joy that come from knowing Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

Second, I pray that your holidays will be blessed with warm fellowship and the love of friends and family. Whether you are able to be with your own biological family, or not, I’m sure there are people from your extended family of loved ones that you can visit, or write, or call, or e-mail… whatever!

Third, I would suggest that if you’re feeling a little down, it might help if you found someone else who is having a rough time of it, and try to be a blessing to them in the midst of their need. It’s amazing how helping someone else can help you overcome depression at the same time!

Finally, I’d like to offer you a free copy of “Life at Its Very Best” (a booklet by the late Dr. Dave Breese) as a special holiday gift from all of us here at Christian Destiny. It’s small, easy reading, won’t take a lot of time, but will do a lot to lift you up and set you on a course towards a bright and successful year in 2005. Just drop us a note via e-mail with your request and the address you’d like it sent to, and we’ll put it in the mail right away.

Have a safe and blessed holiday and refreshing break from your school activities! We’ll be praying for you.

Dave Weeden
The Collegiate Letter