Naughty or Nice

I awakened at 0647 this morning. Christmas morning. And these thoughts stirred me from bed:

The story goes that Santa checked his list once, and then twice, to see who was naughty or nice this past year. To the nice, he left a present. To the naughty, a lump of coal.

But that is not how God works. That’s not how God has ever worked. No one – no one – is so nice to not need a savior. No one is so naughty that the savior did not die in their place so the naughty – and nice – could receive His gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

God says to us on this day, “Merry Christmas” because 2000 years ago He demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were being woefully naughty, or even being wonderfully nice – Jesus died as a substitutionary sacrifice so that we might receive His gift of a new life (Romans 5:8). He died so we might receive a slate wiped clean with His precious blood. A gift of God so priceless that every confessed sin, ANY confessed sin, would never again be remembered by God.

On this Christmas day of 2019, as many as receive that gift of Calvary, as many as look to that cross and say, “Jesus, forgive me. Jesus change me. Jesus cleanse me. Jesus, I want to love you, to serve you" – as many as will receive Him, to them and to them alone God gives the right to be called sons and daughter of God (John 1:12).

Been naughty? Jesus is waiting to hear you say it: “Jesus, I come.”

Been nice? Jesus is waiting to hear you say it: “Jesus, I come.”

Forgiveness and eternal life. THAT is Almighty God’s idea of Christmas: That all who come to Him in confession have His solemn vow of forgiveness. To all who will come, He says, “Merry Christmas. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”