This morning as I sat in quiet by the light of the Christmas tree, I thought about  these words from the Bible:

For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9)

These words were spoken long before Jesus was actually born.  The people who knew of these words lived in anticipation of the day when this promise would come true.  They lived in the awareness of great things ahead even though they didn’t know fully what it all would be or mean.

Anticipation seems to be one of the major underlying, yet significant themes of scripture.  The Bible is filled with stories of promises spoken, and then folks like you and I waiting and believing for great things to come.

We continue to live in anticipation. Yes, Jesus has come to the world but we anticipate so much more yet. So much more of what he came to bring… Peace, Joy, Beauty, Restoration, Justice, and more. Even Jesus lived with this reality.

He prayed,

Your (God’s) will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We don’t have to simply anticipate great things on the other side of Heaven, but we anticipate great things now on earth.

I want to live with more anticipation. Anticipation keeps us focused, willing to take risks, believing, hope-filled and faith-full.  Anticipation helps us to see beyond the here and now.

May we each, this Christmas season, be filled with an even greater anticipation for all that God wants to do and bring to the world through us.