Reader,

It's not easy to live in a state of anticipation.

Children feel this truth keenly. It’s hard for them to keep their hands off the presents under the tree. It’s even harder for them to be on a road trip, demonstrated by their repeated questioning: “Are we there yet?”

As adults, we smile condescendingly at these behaviors. We no longer feel such pangs of anticipation. In our minds, we’ve matured and outgrown them.

But that’s not true.

Our lack of feeling in this area is not a sign of maturity. We’ve simply developed distractions to keep those uncomfortable feelings at bay. Why look forward to Christmas presents when I can place an overnight order on Amazon? Why feel bored on that road trip when I can Netflix those hours away?

We’ve forgotten that anticipation is a gift.

The Old Testament is essentially a story of anticipation. When God declared the consequences of the Fall, he made a promise: one day, He would send the world a Savior. Yet, it would be centuries before that Savior arrived. Generation after generation was born and then died wondering, “How long, O Lord, how long?” Time and again, God would send prophets to remind Israel of this promise because they, like us, found it hard to receive anticipation as a gift. They just used different vices and devices as their distractions.

When we celebrate Advent, we actively resist our impulse to avoid anticipation. Instead of jumping straight to the happy ending, we sit and ponder and wrestle with the longing our ancestors felt as they waited for the Savior.

Moreover, we remember that we too are saddled with longing. Christ may have come and left us with the Holy Spirit, but our world and our lives are still broken. Hurricanes tear across our states, leaving trails of death and destruction in their wake. Terminal diagnoses are pronounced on our loved ones long before we—or they—are ready for them. Wars and rumors of wars fill our news headlines, heightening the ever-present tension in our daily lives.

No wonder distractions are so alluring. How long, O Lord, how long?

Like our ancestors, we cling to the hope of the Christ Child. Our anticipation is a gift because it leads us to Him. We’re not blindly hoping for days without pain. Rather, we look in faith to the One who has promised to execute justice and righteousness, that we might be saved and live in His loving safety.

This week, as you journey through the first week of Advent, consider your anticipations.

• What are you looking forward to?
• What do you do to distract yourself from that anticipation?
• Are there some anticipations you’re willing to sit in?

Through it all, pray that your childlike ability to feel anticipation would be reawakened.

This week's email is adapted from our new Advent + Christmastide Program. Along with reflections like this, it includes 5 weeks of daily pages to help you celebrate this season and open your heart to the Spirit's prompting. Download your copy here.​