Not Santa, Not Genie

It’s Christmas Eve, and another time I’m writing a prayer in my notebook and whatever my thought process was hit different. Again, I have this urge to write with only an idea of how it should begin.

Be Careful What You Pray For

I wanted to pray and ask God to help me. I just spent hours on my phone scrolling, and I was about to write, “Help me not be addicted…”

But then I hesitate because I want to write my words carefully (as if God can’t already read my mind). I stop because I’m not sure if I want God to actually answer this prayer.

In the most unserious and brief thinking, how God could answer this prayer flashed before my eyes:

• God could make me want to get off of social media.

• God could somehow block my accounts.

• God could make me lose access to the internet or have my devices break.

• God could take away my arms (though this is not a full-proof solution).

I laughed at myself. God could, but would He?

Wait, That’s Not Right

Did I just catch myself inventing a different god?

Recently, I watched this TV show where this dude accidentally runs into a genie. It’s kind of a horrifying scene where the genie has this clown face and booming voice. Without any context or proper introduction (like in Aladdin), this genie tells the guy to tell him three things he desires. In the anxiety-driving chaos, the guy is frantically trying to answer, and, after each answer, the ground shakes with thunder, and the genie essentially says. “It’s done.” Just as I was afraid of, this genie grants the wishes in a twisted way. 

The Better Genie

In a very particular and specific sense, God is similar to that genie.

Did Jesus answer the groaning and yearning of all of creation when He said, “It is done,” on the cross before He gave up His spirit? Jesus definitely paved the Way for us to satisfy our deepest wishes or longing.

2 Corinthians 5:2

For indeed, in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. (NASB)

We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. (NLT)

We Don’t Know It All

But was this how we would have planned? In the times before Jesus, would you have thought this? For example, take the story of the Good Samaritan from the perspective of the robbed man. If you were riding on your donkey, and a group of thieves came to beat you up, would you ask that Jesus would come to save you from your sins, as you were laying on the side of the road half dead? Probably not. You might not have even known about the Trinity. Instead, you would probably pray to whoever was listening to come help you as the Samaritan did.

The question “how does God provide a solution to suffering” is as hard as to answer “why does God allow suffering.” We can only answer this when we take a step back from the present circumstance and see the bigger picture.

Because, without a doubt, God is different than a genie.

God doesn’t work at the will of man, but He orchestrates all things for His glory, resulting in the good of all those who come to Him (Romans 8:28).

We do not know every action or reason God has for what He does, as a subject would to the king.

Who Do You Pray To?

But we do know God acts as both a sovereign King and loving Father. He isn’t like a genie who twists our wishes for His own pleasure and entertainment. 

So when I ask God for something, I can be confident that it will all work out for His glory. When I plead with God, I know He answers when and how He sees fit. When I question God, I know He sees the bigger picture and has already resolved to be the good Shepherd (Ps 23). 

The Better Santa

In the spirit of the holidays, God is not Santa either. Angels are not elves.

He isn’t up in heaven with His angels making big plans for our lives to ensure we get exactly what we want, how we want it, and when we want it.

Even better, God is not in heaven making a naughty or nice list. He isn’t keeping a track record of everything we have done to determine if we are deserving of some present, success, or even heaven. If He were, we would surely not deserve anything, for all have sinned and fall short of the cut (Romans 3:23).

The Best Gift

The Good News is that, while we remain undeserving, God has provided a way for us to make the cut: Jesus (Romans 6:23). The gifts under your Christmas tree or on your Amazon wish list cannot compare to the gift of Jesus. Receiving the gift of Jesus means receiving salvation and getting the answer to any groaning or yearning. 

Receiving Jesus means realizing you deserve to be on a “naughty” list if there was one, understanding how God has provided a way to solve suffering, and committing to the only lifestyle that matters (living for the true King, Father, and Shepherd).

——

Merry Christmas :)