Luke 1, 70

He promised of old that he would save us

When I was a child, some of my first inklings of God's uncondtional love came through Santa Claus. Every year, without fail, I thought to myself: "Ok, this year I haven't been good enough to warrent presents from Father Christmas (as some of us call him in the UK). Surely this will be the first year when I won't get anything from him!" Yet every year I did. It seemed that Santa Claus had stuck to his part of the bargain, even when I hadn't. Only later did I realise that the image I had developed of this kind, merciful, old man, was actually not Santa, but my image of God. 

In other words, it was an early lesson in daring to believe in someone who loves us, no matter what. I was lucky - or blessed - enough to have already experienced this love of my parents. Then, with the help of my childhood-belief in Father Christmas too, I could then take the next step and believe that there was a God who loved us too - with an even greater love; a love that would never let us down; a love that would deliver on its promise.

In today's gospel reading, Zechariah is profoundly happy at the realisation that the promise of life and salvation, which he had been waiting for, for so long, is finally being fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. God had kept to his part of the bargain, even when human beings could never do so. That's why at Christmas we can celebrate the coming of a God who doesnt even need reindeer and a chimney to deliver his presents!