Christmas is Coming...So is Jesus

As we enter into the Christmas season, I find myself almost as guilty as our children in the anticipation of a few gifts to open and the fun our family will share around the tree.  I do not feel that this is a bad thing to share in the natural excitement, but it has caused my heart to ponder my sometimes lack of anticipation of a much greater event - Jesus' return!  For as much as Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew up and lived among humankind; He has promised His return is coming and great things are in store for those who have accepted Him and love Him.

God has challenged my heart as I am moving towards Christmas and all that our family will enjoy; to let it be a reminder and reflection of where my heart needs to be year-round, in regards to Jesus and His promised coming.  There is much told to us in the New Testament of how wonderful heaven will be, of the magnitude of the event when Jesus returns and of the surety of it.  When I think about our Christmas tree - I can hope that I might get what I want for Christmas, but it is very likely that when I open my few gifts I may need to smile and be appreciative, while swallowing a bit of disappointment because what I have opened does not look like what I might have wanted.  BUT not with Jesus! 

The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 2:9 that, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."  I don't know about you, but when it comes to Christmas - if I was told to imagine the biggest gift possible and money was no object (which is not the case) - I am sure I could imagine pretty big!  How much more will we be amazed when we see all that Jesus has prepared for us if He has been working on it for 2,000 years?

Don't let me steal your joy in the anticipation of the season, but allow me to add a reminder to the reason for the season of celebrating Jesus' birth - look with expectancy to all that is in store for us in eternity (that means forever and ever and ever, by the way).  Revelation 22:20, being the second last verse in the whole Bible, should carry some weight in our lives, when it says, "'Yes, I am coming soon.'  Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus."

Enjoy the season in the present, with your heart looking forward to the future.