Anticipation

   We watched a movie last night. It was the one where the boy wanted so badly to receive a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. It was the "you'll shoot your eye out" movie, and we had both seen it several times before. Ralphie tried every trick in the book to get his parents to buy one for him, and hoped against hope that he would find one under his tree on Christmas morning. His anticipation was great, and, after being disappointed at first, he gloried in his ultimate gift, and even succeeded in not shooting out his eye, although he came pretty close.

   As  a child growing up, I remember those Christmas mornings when we could hardly wait to see what "Santa" had left for us. The common expression in our house on those mornings was "I guess Santa must have stumped his toe and spilled out his whole bag", as we looked at the stuff under the tree. I'm sure others had more presents, but we always thought we had got it all. Even though these times were the tail end of the Depression and the years of WWII, and in spite of hard times and rationing, we had plenty. At least I did not get coal and switches, not all of the time anyway.

   I remember a bike, new to me and reconditioned by a friend of the family, a basketball that I discovered one day in a closet before Christmas and almost forfeited by looking in there, clip on skates so that I could zoom around the basement and fall in the coal pile (fun), and an assortment of things that I knew I needed then, but have now forgotten. Christmas was a day to be anticipated, and I cannot remember being disappointed.

   In the reading this morning, from John 3, in the Message, I read:

   “The One that God sent speaks God’s words. And don’t think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that.”

   Lavish gifts. All the stuff we humans get on this special day is really child's play when compared to God's gift to us. The Babe in the manger grew to become The Savior and poured out His life for each of us. A lavish gift indeed.

   And do I anticipate this Christmas? Sure, but I really don't need a bike or a basketball or skates. I need the things that God will let me have this time. Time with my kids and their spouses and families after the holiday will be the highlight. I never tire of seeing and being with all of them.

   And I anticipate the service in our church tomorrow, when we will hear testimonies of those helped by the generous outpouring of funds from their brothers and sisters inside this congregation. Perhaps even a camel or two will show up and add their blessings to the service.

   It is a blessed time of the year. I am lavishly blessed, I know, and I look forward to all the things that God will show me during these days.

   Most of all, I remember, the lavish distribution of God's gift, the presence of Jesus, not only at Christmas in the manger, but throughout the year.

   Thank You God