Nothing seems to stir the excitement of anticipation like that of a child for Christmas. It is still vivid in my memory-the difficulty going to sleep on Christmas eve and the eagerness to wake up and rush to the living room to see what was there. In our own family Grandmother used to make the grandchildren wait in the hallway on Christmas morning until she had the camera ready, an exercise they found most difficult and frustrating. But surely no one ever anticipated Christmas quite like Mary, who was told by the angel, “Fear not, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son . . . . He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:30-33 NIV) Wow!
What a secret to carry within your womb, beneath your heart, for nine months. No wonder that Mary’s exclamation of praise was, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
And Joseph, dear Joseph, such a gentle, godly, obedient husband to Mary: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” The world had waited seven hundred years for the prophet’s words to be fulfilled, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” What an awesome responsibility this humble man was given. Or the Wise Men, following a star for who knows how long, until it came to rest over the very place where the child was. How long they must have anticipated the moment of discovery. And how they rejoiced to find what they had long been seeking. They worshiped the child, they presented Him their best gifts, and they returned wiser than ever.
Anticipation of Christmas includes family times, sharing the joys of little children, and seeing the delight in the expression of those we have gifted. But nothing compares to the celebration once again of the miracle of a Savior who left His home in glory to be one of us.
And to save us from our sins. And so we wait with anticipation the fulfillment of another prophecy—His coming again!