Anticipation

Anticipation heightens delight. I am making sure everything is dusted, there's food in the fridge and special plans in place to enjoy time with my daughter and son-in-love.

The count down is almost over. I've tried to control my excitement so I could pay attention to my regular to do list, but two days before arrival, I had to call my daughter. I left a voice mail, my tone high with excitement: 'I can't wait to see you!'

We keep the relationship alive through phone calls, prayers, and visits. I'm getting to know my new son better, and our relationship keeps growing as we spend time, discuss issues, pray, and laugh together.

We experience our Friend, Jesus, in similar ways. We read His letters, talk, laugh, cry, and work together. We haven't seen Him yet. But we love Him as surely as if we had.

Even before I called Samira, I realized that, if I were Jesus, I'd enjoy that kind of anticipation of my coming.

The hard thing is that we don't know exactly when His coming will be. I wonder if that's why we keep the excitement controlled. Perhaps,because we've waited for years and He hasn't come yet, we've backburnered anticipation and gotten consumed with today's to do list.

Remember, though, He told us to watch for Him. To live in anticipation because His coming could be anytime.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy"(1 Peter 1:8).

Maybe this reminder will fire our passion for seeing Him. Maybe we can allow the Holy Spirit (present in us) to fill us with "inexpressible and glorious joy" as we experience Him now, while anticipating Jesus' coming to get us.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

How often do you think of Christ's return?
What difference does that make in your life?
What difference do you wish it made?