“For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

Isaiah 9:6

Expecting

As I find the perfect gift, at the perfect price, for someone I love… I am expectant. I picture their face as they peel back the paper, I picture how and when I will give it to them and where I will place it under the tree. Christmas is all about the expecting… and oh, am I all about the expecting! I shop, I wrap, I cook, I clean—expecting that this will be the best Christmas ever, as if I have some measure of control over what I expect. What I have expected rarely takes place. The perfect gift they already have, food is burned, loved ones get the flu and are unable to come, and yet the next year I expect again.

Truly, only one tradition never fails my expectations… the Christmas Eve service. Not because the pastor preaches the perfect sermon or the worship team sings like angels, although it’s wonderful, but because I have a moment of pause, a realigning of expectations.

Why do I spend so much time on worldly things that always leave me wanting! In that Christmas Eve service every year, I remember all my previous unmet holiday expectations. I offer them up, confess what is sin, and always feel an overwhelming sense of peace. Thank You, Lord, for meeting me in my human weakness, for coming as a precious baby, for being MY greatest gift. I pray that I will be more expectant, in this next year, for Jesus and Him only.

Jesus came. There is no Christmas without His coming. There are no gifts, no cooking no family, no Christmas celebration without His coming. There are no failed expectations in His coming. Jesus came. May the Sar Shalom be the center of your Christmas (Prince of Peace in Hebrew)!

Father, oh, how guilty we are of vain expectations that can only be met with disappointment. May we take time daily to sit in Your presence in the midst of our busyness. May we realign any worldly expectations and remember Jesus came and is coming again. He is the only expectation that will not disappoint. Amen.