What are we waiting for?
Hennie Symington

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Jeremiah. 31:31 (KJV)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah. 9:9: (KJV)

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matthew. 24:43-44(KJV)

When Boney M belts out the first notes if Long time ago in Bethlehem and the first jingle of Jingle Bells sounds in every mall we know it’s that time of the year! We can start counting the days to Christmas.

Yet, no matter how old and jaded one gets, Christmas remains something we all look forward to. What is it that makes Christmas so special every year? Surely not all the guests or excessive eating and drinking? For the children it’s probably the excitement or the prospect of all the gifts they’re hoping to get or perhaps it’s just the general feeling of goodwill and festivity.

A few weeks of waiting however, is nothing compared to six hundred years. That's how long the Jews had to wait after the destruction of Jerusalem to return to the Promised Land. And while they were waiting the prophets Jeremiah and Zechariah kept their hopes alive with the prospect of a king who would restore their land and turn them into a prosperous nation. Zechariah creates an idyllic picture of a town square in Jerusalem filled with old men, and boys and girls playing together. Amid utter dejection Jeremiah preaches a message of hope. And as they waited, there were no Christmas decorations, mince pies or Christmas turkey to make it easier - just rumours of deliverance. And at long last that hope was born.

Today we still wait in expectation. We wait not only to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, but anticipate the day Christ will come again. And while we wait, we do not lose hope, so that when He returns, we will not be found busying ourselves with Christmas decorations and useless gifts, but with kingdom work.

So, by all means, let us celebrate Christmas with all sorts of joyous customs and traditions while reminding ourselves that the coming of the Kingdom should be uppermost in our minds.

Prayer:
Lord, forgive us when we celebrate Christmas routinely, as just another day on the calendar instead of rejoicing in that day when you visited the earth in the form a child. Amen