Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Anticipation. As you are reading this what are you anticipating or looking forward to? My immediate anticipation as I am typing this is for ballgames this afternoon and this evening for Karson and Holden. Then I am anticipating the Church Anniversary weekend. Then it is a trip Karson and I are taking to college to visit the LC-MS churches in the area, and then it will be our vacation. Two days after vacation it is on to Olivet Nazarene and leaving our oldest on his own for the first time. Do I really look forward to that? Yes and no. Yes, because he is ready to be on his own. No, because I will miss him around the house, at church, just seeing him on a daily basis, which I have for over 18 years.
Life is like that. We live for today but there is always something in the future to anticipate. We have to live like that or when things happen we will not be ready. Now granted some things cannot be anticipated. The doctor with news of a disease when you had no symptoms. A car crash that leads to months of therapy and recovery. A spouse or child with news you never anticipated hearing. I anticipate three games today, but it is raining. The plans could change.
Some of you my age and older may recall the Heinz Ketchup commercial where Carly Simon sings “Anticipation” and the ketchup bottle slowly pours the ketchup onto the burger. Heinz was selling the thickness of their product and how the taste was worth waiting for.
Do you ever think of your spiritual life in those terms? Do you anticipate being in worship with your fellow believers? Do you look forward to the return of Jesus? Do you have a longing for eternity while still knowing the Lord has work for you here on earth? Think of the anticipation of the Old Testament believers as they waited for a Savior. It must have been slower than a bottle of ketchup! But when Christ came humbly onto the world scene in the form of a human – what a change. The anticipation was worth it. Grace, and mercy, and forgiveness, and eternity, and eternal love, and a never- ending presence. What a blessing for all those who anticipated.
Sometimes what we anticipate never measures up. Sometimes it can exceed our expectations. That is what Jesus did and continues to do. Oh, the blessings. What’s next? Anticipate – because with the Lord in control it is going to wonderful.
In Christ,
Pastor