Xpectations

Long ago, the very first Christmas, no one expected the Savior of the world to come as a baby.  Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Hosea foretold a King was coming – the Messiah.  But a King come as a baby?  Seriously? 

Angels announced His birth in the heavenly glories.  Shepherds came to worship.  The angel had told them that Christ, the Lord, was born and they would find Him wrapped in cloths in a manger.   

They found a baby wrapped in an old blanket and born in a manger.  They spread the word concerning what they had been told about this baby and all were amazed at what the shepherds said.  But a baby who would be the Savior of the world?   I wonder if that is what they expected.  I doubt it. 

That got me to thinking – what do I expect from Jesus?  What are my  expectations?  I will call my Jesus expectations:  Xpectations, k?   

Xpectations

He knows all – everything – and He sees it too

He is One with His Father – They are the same

He loves . . . everybody

He forgives – even the unforgivable

He can – He can satisfy, He can do, He can.

 

Okay, so if those are my Xpectations then why don’t I live them?  Just writing them down here, and reading them over and over I question myself, do I really expect all this from Jesus or is this just what I think I can expect? 

The Apostle John testifies to Who Jesus is and what to expect from Him.  He starts out with:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning.

Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Jesus says (later in John 4) to the woman at the well:

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

To really expect this – truly – puts our faith to a test, don’t you think?  I want a faith that Xpects – I want to peer into the manger as the shepherds did and not see a baby in a blanket but see the Savior of the world – think about that – now THAT is some faith!  And they so believed it they told others and they believed it.

I want to sing as Simeon did when he saw the baby Jesus:

Now, Lord, You have kept Your promise,

and You may let Your servant go in peace.

With my own eyes I have seen Your salvation,

which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples:

A light to reveal Your will to the Gentiles and bring

glory to your people Israel.

 

I pray for a faith that sees Jesus for Who He really is and Xpects that from Him.  This Christmas, may you see all Jesus is – truly.  Xpect!