It was in the preparations for Thanksgiving, I found myself overwhelmed with a quiet expectation.
Examination of the expectation brought the realization that my expectation was a look forward. An anticipation. Maybe even a longing. Perhaps it has been the one of every generation. The longing for Christ to come and right all wrongs.
My gaze drops to my opened Bible and I read …
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “For you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever, his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1:20-23, NLT)
Mary, a plain and ordinary girl, chosen by God for the most extraordinary of all events. Did she find it difficult to think that God had chosen her to do what was never before done and not ever repeated? Women gave birth every day but not within these impossible parameters.
Deep in thought, I decided I wanted our tree to go up this Thanksgiving weekend. I headed to Target on Friday. This woman who not only dislikes shopping {{*I actually hate it but did not want to use so strong a word}} went out on Black Friday, of all days.
My purpose was clear cut – – -Â old fashioned white lights.
Our tree this year represents to me all that is pure and simple in Christmas. White lights, much like the first white snow, brings a hush and a stillness. A peace, if you will.
They call it Advent – the season of waiting. The dictionary defines “wait” as the state of readiness until something expected happens.
So often as we wait, we are so much like Isaiah in our longing:
“Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!”
(Isaiah 64:1, NLT)
In this season of waiting, may we remember that waiting is a verb. Even as we are stilled in the wait, we look towards and anticipate all that our Lord will do when He arrives. Isaiah goes on to declare,
“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (Isaiah 64:4, NLT)
As this time of Advent unfolds in our lives, may we each ready ourselves. Let’s prepare our hearts and make room for Him. May we be still before Him not letting the world push us into the rush. We must be intentional to slow down so that we don’t miss when He bursts into our lives and circumstances.
For He will come as we wait. He has promised.
Today I am joining … Testimony Tuesday and Unite and #RaRaLinkup and Counting Our Blessings .
This is beautiful, Joanne. We wait in joyful expectation of His arrival. May we prepare our hearts with the hope He extends to us. I love the old-fashioned white lights, too, and I’m glad you’re soaking up the simple of the season. Rejoicing with you, friend! God bless you!
Julie, I am so glad that you are rejoicing as you wait in joyful expectation as well. May the Lord return many of us to a simple season – simply Him!
I love turning on our white lights and lighting a few candles just to set the mood — and you’ve given me a word for that mood, Joanne. Expectation! Joyous waiting for the coming that is yet to come. May our hearts be like Anna’s, waiting for our Messiah.
Michele, expectation is the word I have been settling on myself for this season 🙂 I am finding myself anticipating what will happen when He bursts on the scene in my heart, in my home, and in circumstances. “For nothing is impossible with God!”
Expectation is a beautiful word, indeed! I too love white lights the best. 🙂 This is a beautiful reflection, Joanne. I want to prepare my heart for Him too.