I’m Expecting

What a better way to announce something so life changing and intimate then on a blog that reaches 5’s of 10’s of people’s.

I was driving home from my business trip yesterday and Amy (Grant) and I were singing duets all the way home.  The roads were clear and there was a deep layer of gray clouds in the sky.  We just sung our little hearts out.  Singing about the Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and how we’d love to be back in home in Tennessee for Christmas because it is the only place for us.  Amy and I reminisced about how during this busy season we just need a Silent Night, a Holy Night and how this is indeed the most wonderful time of the year.  We rocked around the Christmas tree and Harked with the Herald Angel.  And then of course played Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, over and over again on repeat for miles.

It during this time with Amy and Herald (the angel) that I realized the wonderful news that I was expecting.  I realized how full of hope I am and I stared into the sky, just wanting desperately to hear the trumpet blast and see the clouds roll back and my Savior roll in. I really looked intently and expectantly with anticipation of His return.  I prayed, Come Lord Jesus come and then I just watched the clouds for signs of movement.

“Behold, He is coming with the CLOUDS and every eye will see him, even those who pierced Him; and the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” Rev 1: 7-8

I am expecting!!

I wondered about you and was concerned for you because we know that every eye will see him but will every eye know him? Will He know you?  Have you met this Jesus?  This baby, this Christ-child, the one atoning sacrifice, the savior, your only hope.  Do you know him?

I am concerned for you dear friends because I know that this life we live today is just pre-life.  I know that Jesus is returning and that the clouds will roll back and that the tribes of the earth (that is all mankind) will mourn because they don’t know Him and He knows them not.

You see, back in the day the people would bring animal sacrifice and money and did other outlandish practices at the temple with hopes of receiving pardon for their sin and being counted clean enough to be in right standing or close to God’s presence.  People, back in the day, had to work really hard to be righteous on their own and bring sacrifice, in hopes of satisfying the great divide between a Holy God and sinful man.

UNTIL….

Christmas.

God sent His most beloved to be the final sacrifice to all mankind.  The way it works is that there is a cost to sin.  That cost is everlasting death.  God Himself provided the perfect payment for our sin but allowing Jesus to take our place in death.  This baby that we celebrate this season is your only hope for everlasting life.  This baby is your righteousness or He can be.

“For God so loved the world (YOU) that He gave his only son, that WHOEVER (even you really bad sinner, killer, adulterer) believes (trusts, hopes) in Him will have everlasting life.”  John 3:15

There is a day when the clouds will roll back or you will pass on from this world and stand face to face before the God who was, who is and who is to come.  The God that has no beginning and no end.  The God of all creation.  He is Holy and Perfect and you are not.  In that place we arrive after our life on this Earth has ended, we will have to account for every sin, every part of our unholiness and if we fail the test we will not partake in eternal life. We will be forever removed from the presence of God to live out the eternal life (the life with no end, the real life) away from the presence of God where ONLY evil and darkness exist.

But…have hope…you can be expecting too.

Trust in Jesus and when you stand before the one and only God, Jesus will stand before you and claim for you His righteousness, giving it to you as your own.  The God who is perfect and just will only see the righteousness of Christ because as you have given all your trust in His final atonement for your sin, you received forgiveness of ANY debt of sin you owe.

Believe, Trust, and Hope in Jesus.  He was given for you as the final atonement of all sin, the greatest gift ever given.

So you can imagine how for me, the one who Hopes in Jesus, was thrilled to be hopefully expecting, joyfully anticipating the return of the One who gives her life.

Be expecting.