Everything That's On My Mind

Anticipation. It's an integral part of the Christmas holiday. The anticipation children feel today is nothing compared to the longing for a savior that led up to Jesus' birth. Simeon and Anna only touched the surface in Luke 2. And yet, the anticipation doesn't end with the birth of Jesus. We celebrate the birth of our Lord, yet we long for His promised return.

The past year or so has been tumultuous for so many. People I care about deeply have endured much pain and uncertainty. At the same time, I have seen God do amazing things in the lives of others. Followers of Christ live in this constant tension between the "already" and the "not yet" in so many ways. God has already done "exceeding abundantly above" all that we could ask, yet we long for more. We long to see His kingdom established in greater ways in our hearts and in our world. It's a constant challenge to keep the two in balance. Too much focus on the "already" and we find ourselves getting complacent, too much focus on the "not yet" and we become ungrateful.

So as we celebrate Christmas, I rejoice in the birth of our Savior, yet I look forward to His return. I rejoice in what He has done in my life, yet I look forward to living a more Spirit-controlled life in the future. I rejoice in what He has done in our church, yet I long for more. I rejoice in the answers to prayer we have received, yet I long for other prayers to be answered as well. I rejoice in the lives that have been changed by the power of God this year, yet I long to see so many more transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As you celebrate Christmas, remember that the joy of Christmas is not just that He came, but that He is coming again. Rejoice in what He has done, but don't forget that He's not finished yet. There is so much more He has in store.