ANTICIPATION is keeping me waiting, chasing after finer days,
sang Carly Simon back in the 70’s.
Those lyrics perfectly expressed my granddaughter’s feelings last week. She’d been looking forward to her 14th birthday for months. The bubbly-can’t-sit-still-over-the-top-barely-contained excitement of a teen-age girl.
“I didn’t want my birthday to end!
It was more fun waiting for it.
Now it’s over and I’m sad,” she lamented.
She stayed up til midnight to make it last a little longer.
Isn’t it true? Anticipation is often the fun part. No matter how wonderful the event, the end leaves us wanting for more. Chasing after better days.
What a life lesson! The fun is often in the anticipation.
Isn’t that why we love December so much?
Our family counts down to Christmas with an Advent Calendar. Each day unwraps a special event. As monumental as Yule Tide Celebrations to a simple game of hide ‘n seek. The key ingredient is togetherness. Our kids look forward to it every year and honestly are sad when it’s over.
Christmas Day is magical, but there’s something beautiful about the wait.
Preparing for it makes me feel like a kid again. Decorating inside and out. Hanging old Hallmark ornaments on the tree. Setting up the family train. Lining shelves with the snow village. Displaying various nativities.
It’s how we celebrate the coming of Christmas. Counting down the days of December until the 25th arrives. It’s the most beautiful time of the year!
Until it’s over. January 2 leaves us with a mess. Sweeping up trails of crumbs and pine needles. Packing boxes hauled down from the attic. Winding up strands of lights. Rearranging leftovers in the refrigerator.
We feel down when it’s over – but treasure the anticipation!
The Bible describes a supernatural event we should anticipate. And it won’t let us down. The return of Jesus. Not as a baby or the crucified one. But as King of kings and Lord of lords.
This is not our final home. Believing and accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ makes us citizens of heaven. Heaven will be worth the wait!
Lift up your heads because
your redemption is drawing near.
Luke 21:28
The countdown is on to the return of Christ. Look up in anticipation. Our task is to continue building the Church while we wait. Love others with heartfelt compassion. Care for the needy. Build God’s Kingdom and not our own.
When earthly celebrations are over we often experience letdown. Like my granddaughter expressed when her birthday was over. Like the depression we feel when the Christmas season ends.
The return of Jesus will be different. It will be the beginning of better things without any letdown.
We’ll experience eternal life where we’ll walk on streets of gold. Pain, sickness and death erased. And all the light we’ll ever need will come from the Son Himself. Heaven will be better than anything we could ever imagine.
No eye has seen no ear has heard
no mind has conceived what God
has prepared for those who love him.
I Corinthians 2:9
This anticipation won’t end in sadness or chasing after finer days. One glimpse of Jesus will fulfill every desire. It will exceed our anticipation.
Until then, keeping heaven in mind will give us strength to handle life in the here and now.
So keep looking up! Enjoy the wait. The best is yet to come.
Merry Christmas everyone!