As we have watched the kids these past weeks staring longingly at their gifts under the tree my anticipation grows as I want them to have the items we have chosen for them. I am not only a Black Friday shopper but a Black Friday decorator too... so we gaze expectantly at those packages for a full month. Very often over this month I waned to give them their special toy or gift card or gadget... but I waited. I have come very close at times to decide to celebrate Hanukah or Tuesday or my mother in laws birthday because those all fall in the middle somewhere. Thankfully my husband is much stronger than I am or at least more sadistic as he thinks it is entertaining to watch them "suffer." They wait with the anticipation of the gift and I wait with the anticipation of knowing the gift will be a great joy to them. I wonder if God the Father felt that way. Knowing the world needed and desired salvation and watching them needing HIM so badly. But timing!... That is key. We mark the day on a calendar and make our kids wait in expectation that we will give them what they asked for... God waited for the perfect timing too. His timing was written in prophecy ages earlier. HIS gift is the best gift... in the best timing...and has my name on it! and each of my loved ones and yours and anyone who says they "want" it. How crazy is that! When our 4 year old Kadin looked at our 12 year old Quinn's gift and said "I want that!" It did not matter... he didn't get it... didn't even get a share. But the gift of Jesus there is enough for us all... and it looks a bit different in my heart than in others.
This month I have been meditating on the verse in Isaiah 9:6-7... For to us a CHILD is born... he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace... the ZEAL of the Lord will accomplish this. That's the gift! The fierce determination of Father God wants to give me this! This BABY fulfills all these things. So badly He wants me to have this gift that He made His son the deliverer. I love a lot of people and would give my own life for many of them... but not one single person in this world would I give my son for. That's a crazy good gift.
It was wonderful watching my family open their presents today... I hope God feels the same as we unwrap HIS glorious mysteries of Jesus.