"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10, 11
Many of you reading this article will be of the generation that will remember the old Art Linkletter show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things."
Here are some actual letters that were written to Santa:
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Rev. John Brady
Dear Santa Claus, when you come to my house there will be cookies for you. But, if you are real hungry you can use our phone and order pizza to go.
Dear Santa, I want a puppy. I want a play house. Thank you. I've been good most of the time, sometimes I'm wild!
Dear Santa, (from a 4-year old): I'll take anything because I haven't been that good.
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This one is for the younger generation.
As a little girl climbed onto Santa's lap, Santa asked the usual, "And what would you like for Christmas?" The child stared at him with an opened mouth and horrified for a minute, then gasped, "Didn't you get my email?"
It's good to laugh, my friends. This Christmas, God has a great gift for each of us. It's a gift that is personal and intimate. It's the gift of joy. The gift of joy is a need of every human being.
The Bible tells us, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." We sing the Christmas hymn, "Joy to the Worldthe Lord is Come." True and lasting joy is found only in the Christ Child-Jesus.
The joy of Jesus is a gift from God (John 3:16) wrapped in the box of salvation. The Bible says, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." When one receives Jesus as Savior and Lord of his life, whether you have been naughty or nice this year does not matter. What matters to God is that this Christmas season each one of us receives his gift of love that's found only in him, the Christ Child-Jesus.
May your Christmas season be filled with Jesus and his joy.
The Rev. John Brady is pastor of First Assembly God in Minot