Anticipation

by Nicole Beglinger

“For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Christmas will soon be here. As a child, I was always excited for Christmas; it meant a new dress for the children’s service and of course, presents. As I have gotten older, Christmas remains a time of excitement, but for different reasons. I still get a new dress for Christmas Eve, but now I look forward to the time spent with family and friends more.

The season of Advent is all about anticipation, the preparation for the birth of the promised Messiah. The apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians pointed to the promise of the Messiah that the prophet Isaiah shared. Isaiah pointed out that God's Servant, Jesus, would be sent into the world to accomplish the Father’s work of saving all people from their sins. Advent therefore, looks ahead not only to the birth of Christ, but also to his saving work on Good Friday and his victory on Easter Sunday.

The apostle Paul was declaring that the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus have been fulfilled.  God’s favor has been shown to us through Jesus’ perfect life, death and resurrection to save all people. The day of salvation is now—we have been released from the captivity of sin and the devil, and we can rejoice in the forgiveness of sins and life in heaven with our Savior. Now we anticipate Jesus’ return to this earth to take us home to be with him.

This Christmas, do not anticipate just the presents and the time spent with family, anticipate the wonderful Easter message and share the good news of our salvation with others—now!

1. What things about Christmas fill you with anticipation?
2. How can you share the good news of Jesus today?

Dear Savior, we praise and thank you for becoming a man to live the perfect life we could not, for dying the death we deserved, and for rising again to assure us of life in heaven. In this busy time of year, help us to remember what Christmas is all about. Lead us to find anticipation in the certainty of heaven and use us to share the good news with others that we meet. Amen.

Nicole Beglinger is a kindergarten teacher at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Norfolk, Nebraska.

• This month The Electric Gospel has been featuring devotions penned for a booklet called The Coming of Christ: Promise Made, Promise Kept.  To access the full book of Advent messages (including the one above by Nikki Beglinger), go to the Seasonal Devotions page of MLC Publications.