expecting

by Alanna

I meant to write this before Christmas, but never got around to it. The Christmas snow outside still hasn’t melted though, so I feel that it’s still the season. I feel like Mary this Christmas, waiting for a baby. Hoping, wondering, treasuring up things in my heart. What will this son be like?  I think a lot about my little one these days.  He is not so little anymore, turning seven this coming May.  I pray hard for him, that this year would be the one where he begins to really hunger for God.  I pray that his heart is soft and open and that He wonders and asks questions and seeks the Truth.  And I pray for this new little son growing inside of me.  That he would be dedicated to Jesus and that I would have the courage to surrender him; courage like Mary’s.  I am so excited and so ready to welcome this new baby.  I’ve made up his little bed, packed the bag for the birthing center, froze dinners, lined up someone to watch baby girl.  Now it’s just expectant waiting.  And I know that God, in His perfect timing, will bring this baby into the world.  He is the fulfiller of expectations, the answer to all our hopes. 

There’s all these stories in Luke about rejoicing in long-hopes fulfilled, and I love them. To read the song of Mary and the prophecy of Zecharias and the way that Simeon got to see the Savior. That Ana waited for so long because she had been promised, and then she too got to see Jesus.  I’ve been seeing hopes fulfilled too around here. Not passed down hope through generations, but things I barely dared to hope in the dark.  For my heart, for his, for our marriage. It’s beautiful and I’m going to rejoice this Christmas.  No matter how many things we still hope for, God is the fulfiller of promises.  He is faithful and true and doesn’t ever lie.  He is worthy to be waited upon, and worthy to be rejoiced in even when we just see a small glimmer of hopes fulfilled. 

Christmas, for me, is when we celebrate this.  The God of hope sending His Son after so many generations of hoping.  His Son come to rescue us.  Worthy to be worshipped, when we wait and when we rejoice.