The world, too often with help from the Christian church, is intent on removing from the world all of its wonder. We may see the universe as a plenty amazing machine. But even the most amazing machine is cold to the touch, and can’t touch us back. The glory of creation, of God speaking galaxies into existence has been replaced in the world’s thinking with natural selection, the brutal and banal motor of progress given us by Darwin. Every man has ceased to be an image bearer of God most high, and has become instead the product of genetic determination or the product of his environment. Nature and nurture turn us all into Stretch Armstrong until we break. History has ceased to be that stage upon which God manifests His glory and has instead become random, aimless, a tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
It strikes me that the world, and we must always remember that such once were we, and even now we are to be about the business of putting to death that which remains in us that is of the world, is like a cynical teenager, eager to show his own wisdom through giving vent to skepticism. So, ashamed of his past innocence, he hides and stays awake deep into the night, waiting for Santa Claus to come. As he hears the first rustle of a present being put under the tree he leaps into the room, switches on the light with an angry, “A-HA!” The father blinks, and is heartbroken to have the truth exposed. He’s just a man pretending to be something he’s not. The son’s joy of discovery swiftly descends into ennui; this is all there is, men dressing up to be better than they are.
Our story, however, is different. We may struggle with doubts. We may battle our own cynicism. We may even find ourselves waiting to expose the truth one Christmas Eve. When, however, we hear that rustling present and switch on the light we find not that Santa Claus is really just our father, but that our Father is the real Santa Claus. We find in the truth not a letdown, but that we are surprised by joy. Beneath the red suit, under the white beard is the One who brought us into this world. And the one who brought into being this world. The reason He knows when we’ve been bad or good is because He knows all things. Our Father really does live in a distant land, pure as the driven snow. He brings us gifts all day every day, but none better than that which He sent at Christmas.
Because our Father is Santa Claus, because the gift for the Magi walked out of the tomb alive we have no need to fear the world. It’s His. It belongs to our Daddy, and we are His heirs. Indeed we have no need to overcome the world. He, after all, has already overcome the world (John 16:33). Who’s my daddy? Santa Claus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ab_(Semitic)
The modern translation of Abba from the Aramaic I to the English Daddy had actually been rejected by scholars. I stead, because the term is used both by children and adults it is not interpreted as Father. That is from the wikipedia article above. Converting our heavenly Father into Santa Claus, while I can appreciate the intent, in fact cheapens him. Where is the fear of the LORD? Where is the reverence with which he is due?
Except in the past 50 years or so children have always treated their father as master, speaking to him with such titles as “sir”. The man was the master of the house. Not the jolly ignore most sins (except the really blatant ones) Santa Claus who’s only interaction in our lives is to leave gifts and advise us to be better behaved.
Not God Almighty. He is constantly, every day, every second, involved in our lives. Demanding better behavior, thoughts and attitudes. Demanding, in fact, perfection . The seal of our redemption, the Holy Spirit, was sent to us to guide and instruct us in how to accomplish that. And the gift of ,Christ paying the price for us was given because we could not possibly accomplish what God demands.
Let’s not cheapen God by comparison with Santa. The world has introduced that myth at Christmas time in order to replace God Almighty and His bodily entrance on our behalf.
Sorry for ranting. This article touched a nerve with me.9
No need to apologize. You are quite right that we need to affirm and rejoice over God’s holiness. What we don’t want to do is deny His tenderness, His power, His father-ness in order to “protect” His holiness, anymore than we would want to deny His holiness in order to “protect” His tenderness, etc. It is both/and, not either or and we are always right to celebrate and rejoice over one, the other and both. We mustn’t let zeal for His transcendence diminish zeal for His imminence.
Amen. I was focusing on His holiness here in response to the “Santa” reference. In any writing, however, I must remember to point out both sides even if focused on only one. Thank you for bringing me to that understanding.
May God bless you and your ministry.
Geoff