Anticipation is a funny thing. I remember as a child, as Christmas drew closer, I would rush into our living room as soon as I got home from school to see if there were any new packages under our tree. My brother and I would pull all the packages out and separate them so we could get an accurate count. It’s not like there were so many that they couldn’t be counted but we both wanted to know if even one more had been added.
The anticipation would heighten to a frenzy on Christmas Eve. It made it hard to sleep – tossing and turning wondering what the next morning would hold. My parents did a wonderful job of making our Christmases special around our house. They knew how to keep the anticipation going.
As we draw ever closer to Christmas Day this year, we anticipate. Yes, Jesus was born 2000 years ago, but we still sense that same anticipation that those experienced who were waiting for a messiah before Jesus was born. We wait patiently for the day we celebrate his birth. And, we wait patiently for the day of his promised return.
Anticipation breeds excitement.
As we wait, allow yourself to get excited about Jesus’ birth. As we long for his return, live daily into the joy of knowing his love and his faithfulness.
Be blessed today!
In Matthew 1 we find that one of the names of Jesus is Immanuel – which means God with us. GOD WITH US!
ell, that took me down a 30 minute sidetrack to get it going again. And in the midst of feeling some wrinkles developing on my brow, I received an email that caused some frustration and I had to turn some attention to it.
We began an Advent emphasis this past Sunday we are calling The Journey To the Manger. As we approach the celebration of the Christmas Day event, we are taking a look each week at different people who made their own journeys to that stable. The shepherds, the wise men and even Mary and Joseph all made the trek to Bethlehem because of the same event – the birth of the King. All came from different directions and circumstances but their journeys all ended the same – in worship of Jesus.
“Don’t look at me!”
The purpose of the email was to tell him how much he means to me and to thank him for the impact he has made in my life. I remember sending the email but I had to go back and dig up the email to remember what I had said. In that email I shared with him that I had had lunch with a wonderful man earlier that day who made the statement that he was tired of learning about people at their funerals and we all need to do a better job of appreciating people while they are still with us. I was so touched by his words that day that I was inspired to reach out to a number of people who have poured into me over the years.
Do you enjoy waiting? I can tell you I cannot stand to wait – it frustrates me. I can also tell you that if you are in a hurry to get in and out of the grocery store and you see me in line at the check out – pick another line. Why? Because I am the world’s best at picking the line that will move the slowest!
Clay in the Hands 