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The Seasonal Song that (nearly) got away!

The Seasonal Song that (nearly) got away!

Merry Christmas

Comparing some of the most well-known Christmas songs with the true message and meaning of the season has been an interesting experience. I thought I had chosen a decent selection, until yesterday. Deborah said ‘I’m surprised you never chose Santa Clause is coming to Town’. I hate to admit it, but she was right- I should have!

‘You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town!’

It’s an important Christmas song for parents at least because it allows us to bribe our children into good behaviour. Of course in reality we all deserve to be on the naughty list. In the language of Scripture:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Romans 3:23

We don’t deserve the good gifts God gives, we certainly don’t deserve to know him as Father. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, that’s what we’ve all earned, death. And yet Jesus came to give life to undeserving people. Life in all of its fullness (John 10:10) and life eternal (John 11:25-26)

Jesus doesn’t divide the world into the naughty and the nice, but into those who accept him and his grace and those who don’t.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Roman 6:23 NLT

The bad news is, we all deserve to be on the wrong list, but the good news of Christmas is that God has gifted us his Son, and with him, the grace we need to be fully forgiven and forever adopted into the family of God. Life eternal, full and free.

‘He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.’

Jn 1:11–13

Good News of great joy indeed, Merry Christmas!