Jealously. That’s why they’re wrong. Because God is a Jealous God.

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? (Is 8:19)

Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God (Dt 6:14)

You cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? (1Cor 10:21-22)

Like a husband would be (rightly) jealous if his wife treated another as her husband, God is rightly jealous when we – his people – treat other things as God.

But what does it mean to treat something as “God”?

God is the author of the future. He wants to be the one, the only one, we consult about the future. The moment you put any trust in fortune cookies, star signs futures, even stock market predictions, you’re arousing God’s jealousy.

God is the determiner of the future. He is the only one who we should appeal to for our wishes. It terrifies me when I see Christian parents telling their kids to blow out candles and make a wish. Its superstition. It teaches kids that (a) there’s some strange power in the candle, and (b) they shouldn’t go to God for their secret prayers. (Don’t believe me? Without any leading from you, ask your kids “How do you make sure your birthday wishes come true?”)

God is the giver of fortunes. He is the pleasure of our hearts. He is the joy of our souls. When we look to any other person, and especially any other magical being (like Santa), we arouse God’s jealousy.

Once again, the question we need to keep asking is, “What does God think about what I’m doing?”