Thrilled with Anticipation

Our doctor said, "The baby can already come out anytime."  So, I'm always on call and ready.   We have on stand-by; the baby bag, our clothes, video and camera, and other important things related to our 3rd baby's birthday.  I'm thrilled with anticipation.  The days seem to come by very slowly as I wait and wait for his coming.

I remember what was written in Matthew 3: 1-3: In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'"

Are we prepared for the Lord's coming? Are our hearts ready to be His dwelling place? Are we ready to serve Him on call?

In our day to day lives, let us be thrilled with anticipation. Today, the Lord desires to dwell in our hearts.  In the same manner of how we prepare our homes for a newborn, we strive to make the home of our hearts clean and suitable.

And when the Lord calls us, we cannot pass up the opportunity and say, "I'm not yet ready Lord."  We might just miss out the very best thing that can happen to our lives.  "On call," should be our posture.  We prepare our hearts to be ready to respond to His coming and to His prompting.  We look on to God's will for our lives with thrill and excitement.

Joyful Anticipation

In the fast food business, when the food isn't fast enough, they'll give you a number. This tangible object allows you to retain the idea of the 'fast food' and will keep you in suspense of the meal to come.

What is it that you are eagerly waiting for? A job interview, exam results, a business deal, a payout, visa, her sweet "yes", graduation, ordination? Waiting is a part of living. Those who cannot wait, cannot get the best out of life. Waiting can be excruciating at times and you might want to give up and quit, specially when there is nothing else we can do.

We need to savor the lessons of waiting:
1. Waiting allows us to go inward.
We can go deep into our hearts and find God's message for us.
2. Waiting allows us to have time to "smell the flowers." Amidst the busy life, are we still enjoying God's everyday miracles?
3. As we grow in anticipation, we are also to grow in gratitude. When blessings are to come, we thank God for His goodness, in daily increments.

When I was a kid, my mom used to make fruit cakes and she bakes them about 4 months before Christmas. Fruit cakes are my favorite, and these 4 months were "excruciating" (since I know where they were stored). But to get the optimum taste, I had to wait, patiently. So with joyful anticipation, I did wait... and it was worth it.

We know Christ will come again. We are all waiting for the second coming, and He gave us the Bible as a tangible holy object we can hold on and read on. Yes, Christ will come and when that day comes, and if we're ready, it'll be sweet.

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