Unmet Expectations, and Our Greatest Anticipation
Christmas is much anticipated. For many the anticipation begins. On December 26th. And the anticipation carries us throughout the year, building throughout the months and seasons. That anticipation heightens our awareness and enjoyment of the festivities. And it gets us through the hard times that come up between December 26th and the next Christmas Day. The idea that Christmas is coming. That we will soon be celebrating.
Holiday traditions are important to me. We did not have too many traditions around the holidays, but the ones we did have felt very special to me. It was something that was expected. Something to look forward to. The Christmas Eve service. Christmas morning. Holiday meals with families. Stockings, the Christmas story, Cookies for Santa. All fun things be excited about throughout the year.
The anticipation for me was a lot of the fun of the Holidays, looking forward to those special moments. But there were some years that all the moments I had anticipated did not live up to my expectations.
Anticipation and expectation can be enemies. Anticipation can enhance our experience of something. It can prepare us to enjoy what is ahead.
Expectations can build anticipation, but as I have experienced, it can also bring disappointment.
With the Holidays comes a level of expectation. Memories of past joys. Expectations based on other peoples traditions or experiences. Sometimes we let our expectations build up something to an unachievable level. We put our hope in a certain experience or outcome. And it rarely lives up. Things don’t come together as you expect. And we are left feeling defeated and joyless.
Anticipation comes with open hands. Saying I am ready for whatever you are doing. Expectations say I want it my way, and you better deliver.
Anticipation brought people’s hearts to joy on the coming of Christ. Like Simeon, Anna, John the Baptist, and the Shepherds, many rejoiced at His coming. Because they believed in God’s promises, and were waiting for Him to fulfill them.
But many people were disappointed by His coming or missed it altogether. Because they let their anticipation turn into expectations. The expected the Messiah to come in a certain fashion. To be a military King coming to redeem the Jews and destroy the gentiles. If these were their expectations, they were sorely disappointed, or even angry at how God chose to actually fulfill His promise.
A baby boy, fully God and fully man, coming to live a humble life. To die on the cross like a theif. And to come to bring the gentiles into His promised salvation.
None of these would fulfill many Jews expectations.
But if they chose to anticipate what God would do in submission and humility, they would experience great joy. They would rejoice. They would gain peace that surpasses understanding. Because God fulfills His promises in the best way. And if we keep our hands open in surrender, then we will always be satisfied in His ways.
So as you prepare for the Christmas festivities, remember to manage your expectations. But also to feed your anticipation. Keep your hands open and your eyes expectant. We celebrate the coming of the King. The fulfillment of the ultimate anticipation.
He will not hold himself to our standard. He is too good for that. He will fulfill all of our deepest longings in the perfect way.
So if you find yourself anxious or disappointed on December 26th, remember that Christ came to fulfill those unmet longings. He came to bring ultimate satisfaction through His son.
What more do we need this Christmas.
