The Christian Broadcasting Network

The 700 Club with Pat Robertson

The Praying Santa
testimony

The Praying Santa

By Dan Reany
The 700 Club

CBN.com Everybody knows that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, but just before Christmas, he makes his home here at Castle McCulloch in North Carolina. You can really feel the true spirit of Christmas around this place, because when Santa comes here – he prays.

“Lord, I just pray that you will touch Jordan in a special way. What a great gift he is to Mom and Dad.”

“Christmas is not about Santa Claus. It’s not about the gifts we receive. It’s about the greatest gift that was given to us over 2,000 years ago, when God gave us the most precious gift of his only Son, Jesus. I’m a representative of Christ. I’m a representative of the real meaning of Christmas,” says Santa Claus Snider.

“Well, sweetheart, I just pray that you would have a wonderful Christmas. God bless you. Santa loves you, and Jesus does, too. Merry Christmas,” he prays over the children.

“When occasions come around for me to tell children about the real meaning of Christmas, that’s what I do,” adds Santa Claus Snider.

“I always get a good reaction with the children, especially. I mean, they are really intent on what I have to say, because they trust Santa. The parents are surprised usually that I do that, so usually afterwards they’ll thank me for saying it, or say,

Some of Santa’s friends know him as “Cliff,” or “Santa Cliff Snider.”  But Cliff’s connection to the Claus family really goes back a generation to his dad.

“My dad did love Christmas. He was a printer and so every year, he would have a photographer come over and take a picture of our family. And he would take the photograph to the print shop and print black and white Christmas cards. But he loved Christmas. He especially loved the Christmas songs. He loved “Away in a Manger.” And he would cry when he would sing it. I still do too even thinking about it.”

When Cliff was just 15-years-old, his father died in a car accident. That same year, Cliff was asked to play Santa for the very first time.

“By putting on the red suit, and the artificial wig and beard, it hid the broken heart that was inside of me,” he says. “And I really feel like God gave me a purpose at that point and said, ‘Here is something that you can do to bring happiness to other people.’ ”

As he packs up for his annual world tour, Santa Cliff took a moment to pray.

“Dear Jesus, I would just present to you every child and parent that comes in the presence of Santa Claus this year, whether it’s this Santa Claus or any Santa Claus. I just pray that the spirit of Christ would be alive in the season, would be the thing that we would worship, that the real meaning of Christmas is that priceless gift you gave us over 2,000 years ago when You gave us Your only Son. Let Him live in our hearts. Let us shout it from the housetops that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He is the reason for the season, and He is the One that we celebrate at this most precious time of year. Amen.”

So every Christmas, leave a plate of cookies out, say, ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus, and remember, Santa is praying for you.



CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?

A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.