Advent Week 1: Anticipation

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”
—Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

One night several years ago, I made the huge mistake of drinking way too much green tea while eating Japanese with my husband. You guessed what happened. I lay in bed all night, eyes wide open, staring into the darkness. I couldn’t get up lest I wake up our dogs, who also slept in bed with us. When the first vestiges of dawn crept through the blinds, I finally rose. Boy, did I anticipate that light!

We all anticipate something at some point, don’t we? There’s graduation from high school. Beyond studying, seniors spend plenty of time preparing for graduation. It’s prom. Assemblies. Time together as a class one last time.

What about waiting for that right job to come along? Again, more preparation. Hours spent filling out the application. Then preparing for the interview by learning about the prospective company. And what about practicing interview skills? Or figuring out how long it’ll take to get to the interview location to avoid tardiness?

And finally, let’s not forget the bride-to-be and her upcoming wedding. The day seems so far off. There’s so much to do. The dress. Invitations. Showers galore. As she prepares, joy surrounds her and her groom as the big day arrives.

So it is for the church. For hundreds of years, she waited for her bridegroom, Jesus. Four hundred years since the prophets last spoke. Imagine what four hundred years is like. Today, that would be like having the last time the prophets spoke being the year that New Orleans was founded.

Then it happened. Christ came into this world quietly as a babe in a manger. Lots of people missed it because they were looking for a military hero and king, not a baby.

This year as we anticipate the arrival of Christmas, it’s easy to miss the reason why we have it because we see the end game as opening presents and being with family. Let’s not forget why we have this Christmas, to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Question: What ways do you anticipate the arrive of Jesus during Advent?

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