John 14:3
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Anticipation can be a powerful force to make us prepare for the coming of the Lord, or it can be negative force to create doubt and fear! Either way, it drives us!
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Anticipation can be a powerful force to make us prepare for the coming of the Lord, or it can be negative force to create doubt and fear! Either way, it drives us!
God's people have always lived with a deep sense that God is and will be doing good things that will shape our future. Therefore, believers look forward to what is coming. This anticipation marked believers in the Old Testament as they looked forward to the Messiah's arrival, and it marks believers today as we await His final return.
So, why do I always get a bit melancholy at this time of year? Do you? I mean I'm excited about all the traditions, seeing family and friends, lights on the tree and all the things that go with Christmas. So why the sadness? I didn't know. Then, it occurred to me, I don't have that spirit of anticipation I had as a child. I had no idea what Christmas morning would have in store for me. I believed in Santa until I was 12 or 13 years old. Truth. We lived in the country and had little outside influence. My Mom was amazing at keeping secrets. We never saw where the packages were hid. I mean with five kids you'd think we would have found them at least once.
We had a huge family and it was always a surprise when cousins came from far away. I anticipated snow and usually we got it. Everyone seemed happy. We sang. We ate. We played with our new gifts and fell into bed exhausted.
As I grew older, I realized there was no Santa. If people needed something they bought it. We were told to wait until Christmas if we needed something. Socks were anticipated. It occured to me that the anticipation of Christmas is what I was missing. So, reading through Luke everyday this month I am once again beginning to feel this sense of anticipation. What is God going to do this Christmas? I think He is up to something that will surprise us all.
So, why do I always get a bit melancholy at this time of year? Do you? I mean I'm excited about all the traditions, seeing family and friends, lights on the tree and all the things that go with Christmas. So why the sadness? I didn't know. Then, it occurred to me, I don't have that spirit of anticipation I had as a child. I had no idea what Christmas morning would have in store for me. I believed in Santa until I was 12 or 13 years old. Truth. We lived in the country and had little outside influence. My Mom was amazing at keeping secrets. We never saw where the packages were hid. I mean with five kids you'd think we would have found them at least once.
We had a huge family and it was always a surprise when cousins came from far away. I anticipated snow and usually we got it. Everyone seemed happy. We sang. We ate. We played with our new gifts and fell into bed exhausted.
As I grew older, I realized there was no Santa. If people needed something they bought it. We were told to wait until Christmas if we needed something. Socks were anticipated. It occured to me that the anticipation of Christmas is what I was missing. So, reading through Luke everyday this month I am once again beginning to feel this sense of anticipation. What is God going to do this Christmas? I think He is up to something that will surprise us all.
ACTION STEP: I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself.
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