I'm going to begin with the more published person of this day and time: Santa. As we all know, Santa goes by many names. There's St. Nick, Chris Kringle, Father Christmas, and, well, you get the point. He wears a red suit with a red hat, lives up in the North Pole, and has elves that help him make presents each year for all the boys and girls of the world. He has a white beard, drives a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and has all kinds of magical qualities. "He sees when you are sleeping and he knows when you're awake." He seems like a pretty amazing character doesn't he? Well, unfortunately, that's what a lot of people see nowadays, the red suit and presents in stockings. They rarely stop to think about the manger scene.
Now, let's talk about Jesus. Just like Santa, Jesus goes by many names: Son of God, Lilly of the Valley, Bright and Morning Star, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Hope, Rose of Sharon. I could go on and on, but you get it. However, this icon didn't wear a red suit and hat. He wore swaddling clothes and a crown of thorns. Angels follow him and do as he commands, and, yes, he will have a white beard too. He has performed many miracles through healing. He doesn't ride in a sleigh, no. But, he is coming back on a cloud. He doesn't live in some barren waste land, but he lives, or can live, in your heart. You don't have to write a letter to him, because he's already wrote one to you (aka the Holy Bible). You can get in touch with him through prayer though.
Isn't this sounding a lot better? That's what I thought. But, the most important thing about this is one thing. Santa didn't die for your sins, he didn't raise from the dead, and he's not up in Heaven making intersessions for you and I and controlling everything that keeps us living. Jesus did and is still doing that. That's my Christmas! What's yours?
**In the words of Linus.........**
