Don't Lose the Anticipation
- Jerry Witham
- Dec 29, 2008
- Series: Advent
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Don’t Lose the Anticipation
Not sure if any melancholy sets in for you as you pick up the wrapping paper and take the decorations down, but I get a touch of it. With so much anticipation looking forward to the celebration of Christmas day when it is gone there is at times a letdown. I even caught myself listening to Christmas music today for a short while. But the anticipation we have during and for advent is not one that ends. In fact, my prayer is that the anticipation during this advent season would stoke a greater anticipation for Christ’s second advent.
As we observed Revelation 12.1-5 on Christmas Eve we were reminded that the reality of Christmas is the whole story not just one part. Sure it is the celebration of Christ’s coming to earth to put on humanity, but it is also about His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension and His return. His coming brings with it the conquering of sin, death and the red dragon (Satan). It also brings His being caught up to God and to His throne (Revelation 12.5). We also know that He will come again to rule. He will come back as King and take what is rightly His, which is given to Him by His Father. The Psalmist proclaims of the coming King, I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware (Psalm 2.7-9). God the Father tells His Son that He will rule the nations. To no one else has this ever been given, only Jesus. He is coming back, not as a Babe in a Manger, but as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to reign and take unto Himself His own and rule!
May your anticipation during this advent season grow into more anticipation for the long awaited King Jesus. I long to be caught up in the clouds. I long to see Him. I long for Him to return and put the red dragon down and out for good. I long for the shadows to become reality. I long for Christ’s last words to the church, Yes, I am coming quickly (Revelation 22.20) to be fulfilled, so that we could say, He is here! Until then may our prayer be as those of the faithful remnant in Isaiah’s generation, Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your truth, we eagerly wait for You; for Your name, and renown is the desire of our souls (Isaiah 26.8).
