God created

trees on the third day of creation. No Christian in his right spirit,

however, stops and hugs a tree in order to show appreciation to it. God

created the moon, the sun, and the stars on the fourth day of creation.

No Christian, however, lifts his heart unto the moon or sun. Pharaoh may

have worshipped the sun. But we don't. We know what he didn't: the sun

will burn out one day.

On the fifth

day of creation, God spoke into being all the fish in the sea and all

the birds in the sky. God blessed the fish and birds, but he didn't tell

us to adore them. Eat them? Yes. Watch them? Yes. Worship them? No Of

course, we all know that God created humankind on the sixth day of creation.

He even blessed them meaning us but he did not indicate that we were to

adore man and woman.

So, which day

did the Creator God sanctify? Which day did he set aside and make it special

from all the other days of the week? The seventh day, of course. "Then

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it he rested

from all his work which God had created and made" (Genesis 2:3).

Get it? God made holy the one-day in which nothing took place but that

God rested. He sanctified a day in which nothing was created. On one day

he made the moon and sun, but he didn't sanctify that day. Another day,

he created the seasons (Genesis 1:14), but he didn't sanctify that day.

Throughout the Old Testament, God enjoins his people to observe the seventh

day known as the Sabbath, the day of rest. God intended the Sabbath to

be a day of rest and worship. After the Exodus, the Sabbath took on tones

of celebration from slavery. So, the Sabbath evolved not only as day of

rest and worship, but also a day of thanksgiving and praise. Nowhere,

however, is there the slightest indication that we are to honor, adore,

or worship whole, part, or portion of creation. In fact, the worship of

creation is highly suspect. It's clearly indicated in the Bible that pagans

conducted some of their worship on tops of mountains and in the groves

of trees.

So, are we

as Christians supposed to be in the business of honoring the fall of the

year or the spring of the year? Sincerely, I believe there are Christians

who "oooo" and "aaaaa" over the turning of leaves

and yet are unable to say a hearty "amen" at the sound of the

truth coming from the pulpit.

Think about

it: flocking to the mountains to see the leaves turn color while absenting

oneself from the worship of the true God. Think about it: churches hosting

events called Fall Festivals.

We Christians

shouldn't confuse our children. We have three festivals or celebrations

during the year: the birthday of Jesus Christ; the resurrection of Jesus

Christ; and the birthday of the church on Pentecost. If we have a Fall

Festival, why not be fair and also have a winter, spring and summer festival.

That sounds a little too pagan. Well, is a little pagan stuff a la Halloween

acceptable? No!

The Rev. Dr.

John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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