Anticipation

Once Upon a Starry Night

Once Upon a starry night, amid fresh hay’s soft shining light,

on a rough-hewn manger bed, a newborn boy-child laid his head.

When shepherd’s flocks were keeping on that starry winter’s eve,

as the stars shown ‘round about’ them, Angel’s chorus shouted glee.

They then followed star-shine brightly to the Christ child, for to see

a young mother sing a new tune that lulled her baby boy to sleep.

Once upon a sojourned adventure of the wise men. Count them. Three.

Found a small child in that manger and fell down on bended knee.

Once that manger small & lowly; held a newborn baby’s head,

witnessed grateful hearts give honor to the Lamb whose heart was bled,

mutely saw that ancient message transform the human heart it led,

                                    by Annette Gagliardi

Anticipation

We are in the season of anticipation. We wait for the coming holy day. We wait for the celebration and the togetherness.  We prepare our homes and special food for this special time. The waiting is often compared to the time of pregnancy, when we bide our time as the baby grows. We wait as the mother gets rounder and we make predictions for the coming newborn. Our expectations of what the baby will look like; the hopefulness of good health contribute to this time of excitement and suspense.

At the foundation of that anticipation lies hope.  In our desire to have a better day, we dream that this child will somehow change the world.

And, in fact, Jesus did just that. He is the light of the world. He is the reason for BC and AD—

the turning point in time.  BC stands for “before Christ. AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”. It is used to indicate that specified number of years after the accepted date of Christ’s birth.

Rugged shepherds and educated wisemen felt compelled to go to Bethlehem and fall on their knees before the newborn Jesus. And many are compelled today to go and pay tribute to this Jesus. We can give Him our heart and our hopes at this moment by giving attention to Jesus during this season of expectation.

Jesus, was the life and the light that all had longed for. That is the same longing we’re are experiencing right now. With the Covid virus still raging, inflation ramping up, with social disregard and social unrest, we feel the darkness closing in on us.  In addition, we all have a private darkness in our hearts. I don’t even know the depth of my own heart’s darkness, and neither do you. It is only by God’s mercy and grace, and with limited knowledge and acceptance of my own darkness, that I recognize the darkness. I know I need Jesus to overcome that darkness.

“The only possible way we can understand the baby Jesus in the cradle is by looking at Jesus suffering and dying on the cross for the sake of yours and my sin.” – Rev. Jacky Gatliff

Yet, as we look at the suffering and sacrifice, we see God’s love shining through. Jesus is still the life and the light we long for. Jesus is the light-bearer and the life-bringer.

“10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

He is born! He is born! Hallelujah. Jesus is born.

Resources:

A Light In The Darkness, Dec 1, 2021 by Rev. Jacky Gatliff, taken from the world wide web on Dec. 23, 2021 from: https://tinyurl.com/2p85rvma

Birth of Jesus – Bible Story from https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-stories/birth-of-jesus.html

Luke 2:1-20 , The Bible.