I love a good mystery, be it fiction, non-fiction, real-life, and yes, even TV's late-night "Perry Mason," "Matlock" and "Murder, She Wrote!" No wonder I can't sleep - chuckle!!
So what's with the mystery of Santa? No mystery to the adults......we connive the pranks, whisper the secrets, don the outfit, buy the presents, and generally, have fun with our kids. MY dad told me Santa was dead; I told MY kids he was a fun person, a "mystery" they would need to figure out and I would tell them when they solved it! Worked fine - except when our younger son caught us putting cookies, milk and stockings under the tree one year!
So what's with the mystery of the Savior? Granted, as part of the human family, there's no way we can comprehend the wonder, the depth of love, the intricate plan put in place before the foundation of the earth - to give us a Savior, a Redeemer, a Lord. We cannot grasp such grace and such love - but the mystery HAS been made plain to us through the simple words of John 3:16, a verse memorized from childhood, and woven into the very fabric of a Christian's being.
Mysteries? Lots of them in life - things we can't understand, can't figure out - the hurts, pain, suffering in our own lives and in our world; man's inhumanity to man; terror; natural disasters; tragedies - the list goes on and on...unsolvable mysteries, except for one....
He LOVES us! There's no mystery about His love and His grace for us all. Bring YOUR mysteries to the Lord and leave them there. He's the One who understands all, knows all - there are no mysteries with Him. Kneel at the manger, kneel at the Cross - love and adore Him - proclaim and make plain, in your own simple words, "the mystery of Christ" to a needy world, wherever on Planet Earth you may live this day!
"The Mystery of God Incarnate"
"The Word Became Flesh" - John Piper
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries - Christian apologetist
"Understanding God in a Suffering World" - Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
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"Why Jesus Is Better than Santa Claus"
"How to Explain Santa Claus to Christian Children"
"Reclaiming Santa" - ChristianityToday
"The Turth About Santa Claus: When Your Child is Ready to Hear..." (Amazon.com)
"How Physics Killed Santa Claus"
Copyright 2008 by Peggie C. Bohanon, Springfield, MO. All rights reserved.
--Bible readings: Courtesy of "Daily Manna," International Bible Society
--IBSDirect International Bible Society's bulk Bibles/resources at discount prices.
--Santa graphic: Free Christmas graphics.
