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Dear Friends,
There was once a young man who told a friend of his desire to become a great writer. A friend asked him what he meant by the term ‘great’? “Define it,” he said.
The young man thought for a moment and replied, “I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream and cry, howl in pain and touch the very core of their humanity.”
He got his wish as he found a job writing error messages for Microsoft computers.
In life there is often a dramatic difference between our expectations and the reality of the situation. Sometimes, this is for the better and sometimes we are left disappointed at the final outcome, but whenever we approach something new we generally bring to it our expectations. What will it be like? Will I like it? Will I regret it? And these thoughts, as well as others, always colour our approach.
At this time of year we begin to think through our expectations for Christmas and the New Year? How will it be for us this year? How much effort will we expend to make it that magical time our society tells us it’s supposed to be? Will it be a white Christmas? What about our expectations for 2012, and all that it will hold? And perhaps some of those questions are little different to the first Christmas… Those first visitors to the cradle must have come with certain expectations. I wonder what was going on in the minds of the shepherds, or the so called “wise-men,” or what about Joseph and Mary? No doubt, all were thinking of different things. The shepherds went away “glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20) – it seems as though their expectations were definitely exceeded. The wise men bowed down and worshipped, and went away in secrecy (via a different route) to evade the wandering eyes of Herod (Matt. 2:11-12) – maybe they were confused at the lowliness and humility of King Jesus’ birth, and the animosity in “high places” which it brought... And what of Joseph and Mary? Both seem strangely silent during this whole time; Joseph quietly doing the best he can in practical ways for his wife and new son; and Mary actively pondering the immense significance of the moment (Luke. 2:19).
And so, what about you and me this Advent season and New Year – what are your expectations? Where will you fit in? Will you be like the excitable shepherds or the evasive wise men or the silent parents? For me, I find it most interesting that the Bible doesn’t positively or negatively comment about any of these responses, for there are times in life when the appropriate response is to jump up and down in festive rejoicing, and times when we should be thinking through the unexpected and taking the necessary action (sometimes evasive action) in response, and also times to simply be quiet and get on with the practicalities, or silently ponder the significance of the moment.
And maybe, just maybe, this Christmas and New Year, you will find the time and occasion to do all of these, and spend time rejoicing, and thinking, and working, and pondering the significance of Immanuel (God with us). I pray that God will be with you at this season of your journey through life.
God bless
David
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