December 3, 2023: Expectant Anticipation
- Liana V.
- Dec 3, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2023
Expectant Anticipation
“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.””
Luke 1:30-33 NKJV
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14 CSB
Being expectant means actively looking forward or visualizing a future event. Anticipating the coming of the Messiah is taking into account God’s history, who He is, and what He said, and knowing what to expect in the future, and putting action to it.
Mary would’ve known the prophetic scripture in Isaiah, possibly even having it memorized prior to her encounter with the Angel announcing she would be the virgin foretold. In fact, the entire Hebrew nation was expecting the arrival of the Messiah. They were expectant because God said He would send the Messiah to save us, to be Immanuel, God with us.
Anticipation feels different than being expectant, it feels eager, like being on the edge of your seat. A readiness to sprint at the crack of the pistol. An energy within you that’s ready to leap up at the right time. It’s acting upon your expectation.
As I think about being anticipant, I’m not sure I am. I think I want to be. I might even at times believe I am. But am I living my life in anticipation? After all, shouldn’t our anticipation be similar for us today as it was in Biblical times? Times have changed. Sure, but God is the same. Jesus said He would come again. Am I anticipating His return?
““Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.””
Revelation 22:7 NKJV
Have I grown tired? Have I reclined into a slumber position?
This reminds me of the story of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:2-13. Check it out, I can wait, I'll be here when you get back.
What did you think? I have always read that account believing the primary focus is the oil. The oil is important, but I think it’s important not for just sake of being important but rather because it indicates readiness…. an anticipation.
I feel like our spirits need to be awakened and readied. Hungry. Seeking. Anticipation means being readied or being prepared. We must be readied for His second coming. But others need to be too! We don't get ready by doing all of the Christmas time things and checking off all our spiritual boxes. There's only one way for us to be ready in this way: it's to be head over heals madly in love with Christ Jesus and to intimately know Him. Then we will be readied in our obedience to do or go wherever He calls.
I know for certain when you allow your love for Jesus to grow- others will notice. The joy and love of the Lord will draw people to Him. Wait. Watch and see.
Prayer: Lord your kindness leads me to repentance. Your love leads me to seek greater relationship with you. Let this Christmas be a season where I draw nearer to you then I have ever before. I want to seek You, to know You better, to know your whisper when you call, to feel your hand of blessing in places I pass, to go where you go, and to stay where you stay. I want to be ready and live in anticipation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Give your home a Christmas smell.
Quick and easy stovetop potpourri from Jojotastic. I had all items on hand for her Vanilla Spice Blend. It gave the house a warm delicious smell. I would add a bit more water if you'd like to simmer it longer. Also word to the wise, be sure to be mindful of it and not let it cook down to no water at all.....
DIY Scented Pinecones!
Check out my girl: Queen of Oils- Beth Carlin on her page, where she shares amazing ideas on living clean. There are mountains of ideas on how to use those amazing oils. She’ll also drop everything to love on you and pray for you.
Bake pinecones on foil lined pan for 30 minutes at 200 degrees. Let cool. Put the drops of your favorite oils into the bags. I would start with around 15. Place in 1-2 gallon sized ziplock bag (depending on how many pinecones you have). Store for 2 weeks if you want them to really be full of essence. Place in a beautiful bowl and let it scent the room.
So so good! Amen! Amen!