Santa... That sweet man with the big soft tummy and big soft heart, love for everyone, gifts to share, joy to bring...
I wonder if some people don't think of our God like they think of Santa. The Sacred Santa of heaven, the One Who loves everybody, wants to fill our every need, fill us with happiness and joy.
Oh, and He does!! But not in the way we expect it. Often what we expect is warped from the disease of sin that we all share. Often our image of God is just that...an image of OURS. A wrong image.
I was never guilty of thinking of God as Santa-like. For me it was opposite, my image was a frowning unhappy old guy with a giant flyswat raised in waiting...waiting to swat me when I messed up. That too was a wrong image.
No, God is not a Santa. But He is the one who decides.
What is 'naughty and nice' is determined by HIS Word...by What HE says.
He is Shopet...Hebrew for judge.
He judges, He decides, He governs.
"Rise up, O Judge of the earth.." Psalm 94:2
"You have come to God, the judge of all men...."Hebrews 12:23
But there is a list.
A very important list. Just one.
And it is written in what scripture calls the Book of Life.
And 'if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life' (Rev 20:15, that person will not see 'the city that does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light...' (Rev.21:23) "Nothing impure will ever enter there, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.' (Rev. 21:27)
Forget Santa's list. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Written in red.
Thank You Jesus.
