"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, born to set thy people free. From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee." Ok, so it's written in "Old English" but the message is still so very clear.
Click it on and listen to it...
It gives me chills.
I think that's the feeling we're SUPPOSED to get as Advent and Christmas approach. I think we are supposed to feel the profound feeling of ANTICIPATION of the Christ Child!
I have had Christmases where I didn't put Christ at the center of Christmas. I focused on gifts and hustle and bustle and cooking and baking and decorating...I forgot the real reason. I didn't anticipate "Thou Long Expected Jesus" the way I should have. I have let the days zoom by and I have felt downright depressed on December 25 after everything was over and done!
Depressed? Really?! "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus..." I am supposed to be CELEBRATING the anticipation of a baby who came to earth...not born in The Hilton, but born in the backwoods...in the ghetto...with the lowest of the low. Why do you think that was? You think God couldn't have made room at the inn if he would've wanted it that way? One of the songs that the kids at church are singing in the Christmas Play is called "Part of the Plan." It was all a part of the plan.
Have you ever gone to dinner someplace super fancy? I remember my dad coming home from a dinner at the Greenbrier one time--it was either a retirement dinner or a work-related dinner...something like that. I remember us laughing as he described the food that was served..."and then there was something that looked like green beans, but there were only four of them." Ha! Sometimes "royalty" has a way of making us feel inadequate...not smart enough...not skilled enough...not good enough...unworthy. Rarely have I ever thought I was lower than cow dung though :)
Jesus was born next to cow dung. I bet you never thought of it that way, huh?
"Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"...anticipation of what was to come...hope and excitement and eagerness. I never remember seeing anything in the book of Luke about throwing elbows on Black Friday or anxiousness and stress over the the holiday season.
As Christmas fast approaches, don't forget to be in anticipation! That's what makes this season so alive and full of wonderment! I plan on doing plenty of decorating and baking (burning) cookies and making all kind of crafty goodness, but I will make sure it's all in anticipation of "Thou Long Expected Jesus."
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