Come, Long-Expected Jesus

Expectation is defined as something that will happen or be the case in the future—the expectation of health and financial success and that of years to live and events to come.

There is joy and travail in expectation.  The joy of the culmination of an event is heartily expected as in the birth of a child.  The travail of expected goals not met and with little hope to transpire.

We are so comfortable with having what we want at our fingertips that we may forget to place those fingertips folded in prayer.  What is our path to a relationship with the long-expected one?  Perhaps laying aside what we don’t have and concentrating on the greatest gift ever given to man is the secret to expectation joy.

The Bible is a story told of great expectation.  A story of a coming Savior and King.  One who would save His people.  Many still expect Him to return.  Jesus’ birth was foretold in Isaiah 700 years before His birth, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel.”  Micah prophesied as to His birth 800 years before He was born and told of Bethlehem as the birthplace (Micah 5:2).  Micah believed and expected Jesus to come.  Maybe in his lifetime.

Long, long-expected Jesus came to earth as a tiny baby.  Born to live as man lives and feel the joys and sorrows of life.  Jesus gave His life for us so that we can expect more. We can expect His coming again to take us home.  We wait for the promise of the 2nd Coming.  How many more years?  

Come thou long-expected Jesus.  Come.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel