The world woos us to remain focused on the glitz, the glamour and the allusion of the season.
Christmas Expectations
A Myriad of Reasons to Anticipate
Expectation. It penetrates the moments surrounding us during this time of year. Often, we look forward to the holidays for a myriad of reasons. We are drawn to the lights, the ambience of the season, the special traditional foods that are prepared only one time per year, as well as, the joy of possibly having family and friends around to help us celebrate.
A Myriad of Things to Do
Expectation. For me, I am now a mother of adult children and live in a different country than each one of my children and parents. The holidays often bring me to a heightened state of expectation and excitement. The days I’ve waited for in which I could literally look my children in the eye and physically hug them are coming ever so close. There’s SO much to prepare for. The rooms have to be made ready so that when they arrive they will feel welcomed home again. I scurry around making sure there are
- clean air-dried sheets,
- brightly mopped floors,
- the removal of all the clutter that has somehow accumulated since their last visit
- And the finishing touches will always involve placing a small bowl of Spanish/French clementines in each bedroom helping to quench any lingering airplane food issues. Voila, I say to myself as I collapse on the floor! 😉
A Myriad of Choices to Make
Expectation. Our world markets and feeds on our hunger for this anticipation of the coming holidays. The infamous U.S.-based “Black Friday” has now come to France in full force – making it now “Black Friday Week” as we continue to prepare for the coming days.
But, what would it look like if we, as the Bride of Christ from all over the world, from every tribe and nation, became a people who were not afraid to place our noses right up to windowpanes in anticipation of the soon arrival of our Lord and King?
Expecting Christ’s Return
There is no denying that Christmas expectations often swirl around you, whether you realize it or not. But as we come into the Advent season, do you find yourself having the same or greater expectation for the coming of the Lord and King, Jesus Christ?
Do you daily anticipate His arrival as you prepare your heart and life spiritually? Are you “making ready” your life for His imminent return? Is your heart expectant as you think of seeing Him soon?
I’ve written before about the image of young children and how so often they will place their little noses and dirty fingers right on the windowpanes in anticipation of the arrival of family or friends. So often, we as mothers will scold and chide them, as we see only the work involved in cleaning those dirty windows again.
But, what would it look like if we, as the Bride of Christ from all over the world, became a people who were not afraid to place our noses right up to windowpanes in anticipation of the soon arrival of our Lord and King?
None Could Stop Him from Declaring
I love reading the Christmas narratives found in the Gospels. And one account that I read every year is found in Luke 1 and it centers around Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. Each year, I am struck by the thought that after waiting in silence for 9 long months, Zechariah couldn’t and wouldn’t be stopped from declaring the coming of the Lord!
Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there? I am sure that after having to wait an entire pregnancy to speak of what
- he saw;
- what he heard from the angel;
- and what he now knew;
Zechariah would have spoken passionately about Christ’s imminent first coming to all who would listen!! His zealous declaration, without a doubt, did not stop until the day of his death!
I look forward to heaven to hear his story. And I am sure Zechariah will be thrilled to have me listen as he recounts every single detail of those miraculous days.
Unabashed Anticipation
The day is coming soon when I will be able to place my arms around those people whom I love so much and have been preparing to see again since the days I saw them last. To be honest, I don’t care how silly I might look in that expression of anticipation… because I will see some of my family soon.
God Delights in the Messy Windows
Let us be a people that remain counter-cultural in our view of the coming events.
The world woos us to remain focused on:
- the glitz,
- the glamour
- & the allusion of the season.
Yet the scriptures whisper softly, but ever so strongly, to lift our eyes to the skies, place our noses right up against those windowpanes and look for the coming of the Lord, who has graciously offered us adoption into His family.
My desire and deep longing is to remain at the window – ready for His arrival. I want to be unabashed in my expression of anticipation at seeing Him.
Are there days when I falter in my focus? Absolutely. But, I believe that’s where the Body of Christ comes in. As part of the Family of God, we have the joy of surrounding one another and helping each other to remain focused in our waiting.
As I stand at the window watching in anticipation, I invite you to take a place next to me. He’s coming!
May the Family of God from around the world joyfully stay focused. May we be a people who are unashamed in making a mess of our windows, as we firmly expect and anticipate our Lord’s imminent return.
See you at the window!
