Preparation. Most events or activities require some sort of preparation for success. In our classrooms at Concordia, we preach the virtue of daily preparation developing mastery of a certain concept or skill, and that preparation culminates in final exams later this month. Winter sport athletic teams are preparing regularly in practice to be able to execute those actions in upcoming contests and spring sports teams are engaged in advanced preparation for the upcoming seasons. Vocal and instrumental groups at Concordia are busily preparing for the annual Embassy Christmas Concert.
Outside the walls of Concordia, our world is also occupied with preparation, as Christmas is right around the corner. While some stores have had Christmas decorations available for quite some time already, the holiday shopping season ramps up in December. In the church year, we now enter into the season of Advent, a time when we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the coming of the Christ Child, our Messiah, to this earth to rescue us from our sinfulness.
With preparation often comes great anticipation. As students prepare for tests, projects and exams, there is the anticipation of seeing the hard work come to fruition in the results of that assessment. The musical groups and athletic teams anticipate the day when they can display their God-given talents for large crowds. While adults may eagerly anticipate a Christmas gathering, there is little that matches the restless anticipation of a young child looking forward to Christmas. In our faith lives, while we certainly look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus soon, we also eagerly anticipate His second coming, when He will come to take us to be with Him in glory forever.
May the Lord bless you and your family this Christmas season as you experience the joys of preparation and anticipation, both in our daily activities and as we celebrate the Savior’s birth and eventual return!