The wait is over

"they shall call His name Emmanuel"

Matthew 1:23

Waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting...

Christmas is now right around the corner.  While we have to do a little grocery shopping for our Christmas Eve dinner, and a little tidying of the house, we are ready.  I am praising God for a Christmas season where I have felt truly able to think about the idea of Jesus deigning to become a helpless baby ~ the first sacrifice of many He would make for us.   But today, with all the the "must do's" done, we had a tranquil day.  The Apple of my Eye was off of work and our home had an unusual feeling of relaxation.  I was glad to not have a list of things to do, but it made for a rather odd-feeling day.  We all had a feeling of restlessness.

I think it's because today had a feeling of waiting.  We are "ready" for Christmas, but it's not time yet.  So we wait until Christmas Eve, for a special dinner and church service, and we wait for Christmas Day for the special foods and traditions of that day.   We wait to give the presents we have chosen, and to receive the presents that have been chosen for us; we wait for family to arrive to spend a few days. 

About two thousand years ago, there was waiting.  Jesus' mother Mary had grown to be very "great with child" and it was almost time.  She was making her way to Bethlehem, waiting to become a mother, and waiting for the Messiah. 

Mary, of course, was not the only one waiting for the Messiah.  Since the fall of Adam and Eve, mankind had needed salvation, and with Jesus' arrival on earth, that salvation was only 33 years away. 

Now, because of His resurrection from the dead, which could only happen if He died, which could only happen if He was born a Man ~ now salvation is in our reach.   Salvation is only faith away.   And now, for that, we don't have to wait.

I know a lot of you reading this know that wonderful truth already.  I just hope you'll join me in wonderful blissful appreciation of not having to wait for what is truly the best gift of all.

 ~ "She shall bring forth a Son... 

and He shall save His people from their sins" ~

Matthew 1:21