Her View: Santa Claus and Christmas
This year is the first time I don't spend time with my family to celebrate Christmas together. I decided to stay in Singapore during the term break, remembering the NMM project I need to work on, despite the fact that my mum did ask me if I want to go back. I wondered how my Christmas this year would turn up to be. It could be fun.. or disastrous.
And today is the day. It's Christmas time, the day that I have been waiting for..
"It does not seem like Christmas at all!", one of my friends in Indonesia said. Well, this is probably what was happening here to me as well. I tried very hard to tell myself that it's Christmas. I smiled, said 'merry christmas' to all the people I know who celebrate it, but deep inside my heart, it was empty. It's sad, so sad 'til I feel like crying..
Orchard Road had been very colourful with lights and christmas decorations. Christmas carols were everywhere. The road was totally packed. It was like a sea of people. I was there for the last 3 days, and got very sick of it. I went out with friends for their Christmas celebration on the 24th. They stayed up late until 6am, playing and partying (they are not believers, btw) on the surface of the busy Orchard Road. Me? Well, hello, I needed to go to church on the 25th, thus I only went halfway and went home just after the countdown... err, uh, no. I even missed the countdown~! Everyone was busy with their phones, calling their friends, etc etc and the countdown was over. T__T
The 25th itself, after the church service, I was meeting my still-the-same friends for another christmas celebration, the continuation from yesterday's. A lot of people were celebrating it. The heart of the city was extremely full with people, Christians or non-Christians. They took photographs, raced for the end of year sales and promotions, gave gifts to each other, and so on and so forth. It was kind of ironic that people seemed to have a Christmiss Christmas. They expect gifts and presents on the special day, yet they fail to see the greatest gift that has been given to them somewhere around 2000 years ago. They fail to see the real reason for the season. They admire the fat creature with a huge belly who always wears a red and white costume riding on a sleigh. I really don't understand why is Saint Nicolaus so popular. I mean, world, what had he done to save you? Does he bring salvation? Does he love you? Is he willing to die for you? It is upsetting to learn that so many people still don't know the beautiful Someone, the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ. I can give you tonnes and tonnes of comparisons between Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. Here are some of the reasons why Jesus is far much better than Santa Claus:
1. Santa lives at the North Pole, Jesus is everywhere. He lives in heaven as well as in your heart. (1 Corinthians 6:19 "You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God.")
2. Santa rides in a sleigh, Jesus rides on the wind and walks on the water. (Matthew 14:22-33, Acts 1:6-11)
3. Santa is only there on Christmas day, Jesus is an ever present help. (Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.")
4. Santa fills your stockings with goodies, Jesus supplies all your needs. (Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.")
5. You have to wait in line to see Santa, Jesus is as close as the mention of His name.
6. Santa lets you sit on his lap, Jesus lets you rest in His arms. (Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.)
7. Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?", Jesus knew our name before we did. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our head. (Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.", Isaiah 43:1 "I have summoned you by name; you are mine.", Matthew 10:30 "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.")
8. Santa only gives gifts to good children, Jesus died for every single being, yes, sinners included. (Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.")
9. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly, Jesus has a heart full of love. (John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.")
10. Santa takes your food, usually milk and cookies, Jesus takes all your worries and burdens. (1 Peter 5:7 "Leave all your worries with Him, because He cares for you.")
11. All Santa can offer is HO HO HO, Jesus offers health, help and hope. (Exodus 15:26 "I am the LORD, the one who heals you.", Psalm 121:2 "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.", Rome 5:5 "This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us.")
12. Santa says "You better not cry", Jesus says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you." (1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.")
13. Santa's little helpers make toys, Jesus makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions. (2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature", John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.")
14. Santa may make you chuckle but Jesus gives you a joy that is your strength. (Psalm 4:7 "But the joy that You have given me is more than they will ever have with all their grain and wine.")
15. While Santa puts gifts under your tree, Jesus became our gift and died on the tree.(the cross). (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.", 1 Peter 2:24 "He himself bore our sins in his body on a tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.")
It is obvious there is really no comparison! Jesus is still the reason for the season. Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus.
(Resources: The Bible KJV, The Bible NIV, The Bible TEV, The Bible NCE, http://www.new-life.net/jcbetter.htm)
So.. let us go back to our previous topic. We walked around and round and round and round.. It was supposed to be a fun day, but I did not really enthusiastic. I knew they had planned to be in Orchard until past midnight, or earlier. I told them I couldn't stay up too late. I needed to go home around 6 or so.. They looked kinda disappointed and asked me why. "Christmas is not only for myself", i told them. Well, actually, the reason was simple enough, I didn't want my Christmas to be so empty. To them, staying at home on the 25th of December means an empty Christmas. My mindset was, I hadn't had time for my beloved Saviour, I just spent my Christmas with my friends, etc etc. It's kind of unfair to Him. My 'happy birthday' was just a short one, in the bus. It was such a shame. My heart was not really focused on Him these days. Emptiness. Hollowness. Meaninglessness. Those are what I felt, even now.
Truly there should be something wrong with me. I went home, sang a few worship songs, prayed, but my tiredness won the desire of being in God's presence. I felt so bad for not spending Christmas with Him. It's His birthday, afterall, and I didn't even have time to be with Him? I said I love Him, but these were what I did on His birthday. Had fun. Met friends. Took photos. So ironic. I told Him to have a date with Him on Christmas, just simply feel the beauty of His presence, being with Him and surrounded by His love, but in the end, I ended up having a 'date' with my friends. Sooo bad. I'm terribly sorry, Jesus. :( :(
Jairus said I should not feel guilty. He is God of love. In Christ, there is no condemnation. Well, I didn't feel any better after he said that. His Christmas was quite eventful afterall, that's why he could say that. But what about me? No fams, no nothing, not even a time for Jesus.. :(
So yeah, this was pretty much what I did in my first time celebrating Christmas alone. Boring? Whatever. I thought everything would be fine. Sigh.. Somehow, I miss celebrating Christmas with my family... Mum.. Dad.. Bro.. Sis.. Cousins.. Aunts.. Uncles.. Grandmas.. Ohh. Is Polytechnic's somehow-sucky-but-we-can't-help-it academic timetable to blame? Lol... Unfortunately, no.
Anyway, I hope you all had a blessed Christmas. Selamat hari Natal*, everyone! :D
*Merry Christmas in Bahasa Indonesia
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