Christmas Reflections Part 4

This Christmas, when you are staring at the floor covered Christmas wrappings please remember that there is more to Christmas than this. Let me tell you the true story of Santa. This chubby old red bloke was actually born 1700yrs ago in Turkey, in the days when Christianity flourished in that region. Actually, he wasn’t chubby at all, but rather tall and slender. As a boy, Nicholas dearly loved God. He entered the ministry at an early age and he persuaded many people to believe in Jesus. This angered the Roman officials and he was imprisoned and tortured.

Then when the emperor was converted, Christianity became popular and he was suddenly free to become a church leader again. He became well known for his gift-giving, especially to children. The Dutch kept the story alive as Sint Nikolaus. It was the Dutch who brought the story to America where he became Sinterklaas and then Santa Claus. The Dutch used to put out an old wooden shoe. That morphed into a stocking in the USA. At that time the Americans also added the reindeer and sleigh and thus the legend was born.

The real Santa was a kind, gentle pastor who loved God and children. The giving of gifts should always remind us of the benevolent Father. As we reflect on the season remember Christmas and its sequel are part of a cosmic war. It is here that we are witness to the eternal walking within the bounds of time. What you do with the baby born at Bethlehem determines your eternal destiny. Life is the place and time where we make our decisions for eternity. Eternity has no clock, decisions belong to time, that time is now! Endless hope or a hopeless end. Before time turns on its hinge and becomes the ceaseless unmeasured ages you must decide or be forever lost!

When you are unwrapping presents this Christmas, please remember the greatest gift giver who is offering you a place in eternity and the earth made new without all the things that sin has brought into this world. All made possible by the gift of his birth.