“For your love,
I’d give you everything and more, and that’s for sure…”

“The One and Only Santa Claus”
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
https://youtu.be/jagJeaLXRRQ
2:32

“Since the United States government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this Court will not dispute it.”

“And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.” (1 Samuel 4:13)

Eli was High Priest during the latter years of the Judges of Israel. What was the spiritual climate? The Book opens with “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10) and closes with “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). Eli ministered during this time and was the most spiritual of the lot. (However, it could be said he and his family lived rich, very rich!) He knew the Word and taught Samuel to listen for the LORD. But he did not disqualify his corrupt sons from the priesthood. They used their office to commit adultery and live in dissipation. Unlike the foul offering of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10: 1-3), fire didn’t consume Hophni and Phinehas because the presence of the God ceased from the tabernacle. Finally, these two took the Ark of the Covenant out of Shiloh, expecting God to defend Israel. Instead it ended in disaster and the Ark captured by the Philistines!

Christians are trembling for America! The generation that understood the high price of freedom is gone. A mediocre faith has left Jesus on the outside of churches. Most are doing what is right in their own eyes. We know enough about God’s Word to tremble but lack the spiritual vibrancy to disqualify apostates from ministry, including government service. Being trodden under foot is a divinely ordained consequence of having lost a preserving influence! (Matthew 5:13) Our heritage of freedom to worship is conditional to our national covenant with Christ. (Yes, this IS our history!) The left may suppress us but cannot cancel a country devoted to the LORD. They are trying to steal what is His! America needs revival to open its doors to Jesus once again! Anything less leaves the faith of Hophni and Phinehas, hoping to leverage God to preserve a lifestyle. Or of Eli to live and die in regret with the Ark in enemy hands. Neither embraces the high price of freedom!