On the way to work today I was listening to some Christmas music.  I know in the song Amy Grant was sending a Christmas list to Santa, but it sure did sound like a prayer to me.  The lyrics say  “My grown-up Christmas list. Not for myself, But for a world in need.” Don’t we think about ourselves more than we think about the world?   Here are a few lines from the song that express a prayer about what we need to do for others:

No more lives torn apart,
And  wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

As I thought about this song I realized that we, that call ourselves Christians are the body of Christ.  That body is given authority by God himself, FROM GOD.  In our society people are always on the path to be completely independent from God and any one else with authority–to be free to do what they want when they want, much less to be a part of the body.  Sometimes we feel like we are not sure what our role is in this body of Christ.  Our role is that we love others more than ourselves, that we seek out those that need to see our light shine, that we give to those in need, we make the church a place that people feel safe and can let their walls down.  I know that we do not do these things by ourselves. We can be God’s hands and feet to do these things if we are truly the body of Christ.  Most of the religions of the world would have us believe that we do thing, acts to find favor with God.  We cannot do that – the more we try to find favor the further way from his message we get. Do this, don’t do that and you will make the cut or be a part of the club.  If it’s all about a club, I don’t want to be a part of a club.  What I want is to be a part of His body and to be right standing in his light. The only reason my tiny light shines is because my wife’s many prayer and God’s Grace.  Because of his light, my light shines.

Romans 3: 21-24 is what it’s all about.  Trying to be right standing with God, FROM GOD.  We cannot do this by ourselves  – We can do this because the Grace is from God.  Did you hear me?  With God – FROM GOD.

21 But now a righteousness (Right Standing with God) from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely (free) by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3: 21-24

Now what about Santa Claus or St Nick?  Saint Nicholas was part of the body of Christ. Just like you are because a gift from God was give.  Here is the story of Saint Nicholas:

“There was a Christian named Nicholas of Patara, called the Bishop of Myra. He lived in  the third century in the village of Patara, that is where the Saint part comes from and he was so happy because God gave to him a gift, Jesus, who died for all of us so we could have eternal life with God”.  “St. Nicholas became so happy with God’s love it became a mission for him to tell everyone he could.  St. Nicholas was a very rich person but saw that his happiness was not in money and riches but in Gods love”. “St. Nicholas shared his wealth by bringing food and toys to children that were poor”.

Then there was the sad part about this story: “In the times of St. Nicholas, there were many people that hated Jesus or God and made a point of it by arresting these Christian people and put them in jail” People who are always on the path to be completely independent from God and any one else with authority.  “Eventually St. Nicholas was arrested and was put in jail to stop him from talking about Jesus”. “This did not stop St. Nicholas continued to talk about Jesus even in jail”. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church.  You can be reassured that because Jesus loves us so much that he died on the cross for all people’s sins so we may have eternal life with God”. Because of God’s love, we never really die and neither did St. Nick. St Nick lives in each one of our hearts that are in the body of Christ.

What wonderful news to me that we would never die and that St. Nick was still around.  Maybe not as he was but more or less in a meaning and a way of celebrating Christmas.  The story of St. Nick still lives within us today in as a reminder of what Christmas really means. Because of how much St. Nicholas loved Jesus, and because of the many gifts he gave the poor children of his town, we still remember St. Nicholas at Christmas time. All of the gifts he gave, and all of the Christmas presents we give, are to remind us of the very best gift anyone ever gave: when God gave His only Son, Jesus Christ.

It’s been a long journey from the Fourth Century Bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, who showed his devotion to God in extraordinary kindness and generosity, to America’s jolly Santa Claus. However, if you peel back the accretions he is still Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, whose caring surprises continue to model true giving and faithfulness.

I know that Santa (St. Nick) is very real. He lives in our hearts today. We know this to be true as we see the happy and gleaming faces on Christmas day when we give gifts to each other.

Christmas is not a day of celebrating ones beliefs for me but rather a day to commemorate the ultimate gift from God.  It doesn’t matter to me what you believe in as far as a particular Santa Claus, but I encourage everyone to celebrate Christmas by giving a gift to someone and allow that to remind yourself of the gift we all have received from God. The grace that come FROM GOD.

If for no other reason than belonging to the body of Christ we can try our best to make the lyrics of this song come true:

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas Prayer

Amen

Here is the video of Amy Grant..

http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/AmyGrant/Grown-Up-Christmas-List–2142311;_ylt=AkX65wV4rAAHxYZKII_uOMbesyUv

- RUSK

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