Christmas Musing #31 Breathless Anticipation

 ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12 English Standard Version

               As I remember it, neither my brother nor I particularly succumbed to the temptation to open Christmas gifts early or expended much energy snooping about, hoping to find hidden Christmas gifts. We seemed content to wait for the corporate opening. I do remember occasionally asking to open one on Christmas Eve; but, my father always met that request with a solemn, “No, on Christmas Day only.” Of course, we responded by waking up as early as possible on Christmas morning…until we were teenagers that is. I still find that part of the joy of Christmas comes wrapped up in breathless anticipation.

               Waiting to find out what lies beneath the pretty paper and ribbon brings great joy. When we were younger, my parents normally gave us one significant toy and then a few more prosaic, useful gifts. We always enjoyed opening that special gift. My parents seemed to know exactly what would please us. Our practice of carefully marking the J.C. Penny’s and Sears Catalogues probably helped; however, they rarely got us something we’d identified. Normally it was something unusual and especially fitting to our personalities and proclivities. One year I did not get the “cool” gift. I was disappointed. My mother asked me if I liked the game. I asked what game. It turned out that in the crush of getting things done before Christmas, she’d neglected to wrap it. I ran to the indicated closet and was overjoyed by a really cool board game, which I played for years, this being long before the advent of video games. We enjoy gifts and all the possibilities they represent.

               All of creation held its collective breath in anticipation of the Advent of Immanuel. The Jews ached for the promised Messiah and the new era. The marginalized and downtrodden longed for relief and comfort. The shepherds hurried to see this savior, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. The Maji trekked hundreds of miles to see the new king. All them arrived in Bethlehem breathless with anticipation. They wanted to see this great new wonder heralded by stars and angels. And we too arrive in Bethlehem aquiver with expectation of something new, something wonderful.

               We exist in a dark and broken world. Glance through any newspaper and you will see headlines replete with disaster and disappointment. Our culture creaks along barely able to function. Disorder and chaos seem ready to pounce at any moment. The weak, marginalized, and insignificant labor against tremendous odds, often unable to rise above their circumstances. The wealthy and powerful still crush the poor and helpless in their insatiable thirst for influence and domination. We need something better.

               So on Christmas Eve, we all shuffle to Bethlehem, breathless with hope and desire for something, anything better. We’ve been told that our security and salvation lies in a manger, wrapped up and waiting. We hope that the messenger was not wrong, or we were deluded or mistaken. We need help from those foes outside and sadly, from our own malignant urgings and weaknesses. So, on Christmas Eve we peer into the manger ready to unwrap the great gift.