Counting today Christmas is only thirteen worshipping days away. For the previous two weeks I’ve given a couple exhortations for sake of keeping our focus during this delightful, but overfull, season. First was: be broken. Second was: embrace the flesh (make sure to mark the qualifications).

The third exhortation is: expect anticipation. What I mean is, remember that getting there takes the whole way until you’re there. And we’re not there yet. And we’re not there yet because God doesn’t want us to be there yet.

Some people just “get to” their destination. They don’t care at all about anything between points A and B. Other people more naturally want to explore the process. They don’t mind taking longer in order to see more.

Advent, at least in the more general sense, is about anticipation. We are waiting. Israel waited for generations for the promised Messiah to appear. What we celebrate as Christmas was known to them only by pregnant faith. While we remember Christ’s first advent we are trying to learn how to wait well until His second coming. We also must walk by faith.

So the build up to the big day is part of the joy, not something that keeps us from joy. The work to get ready and the anticipation of fulfillment is appropriate. Expect it.

Of course we know when Christmas will arrive; it’s on the calendar. We don’t know what day Jesus is returning. But we need the wait training. We might be tempted to lose heart, to give up hope, to put down our faith. God knows His Son’s return certain, and this is important, helpful practice. We are a people who celebrate before, not just after all the presents are opened.