Waiting with Expectation for the Promised Gift

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.” These are the popular lyrics to a favored Christmas song, sung all around the world during the joyous holiday season. But there was a time for the people of God when they awaited the coming of the promised gift we now celebrate as Christmas. God said in Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” The Old and New Testament of the Holy Bible, is separated by about four hundred years of history. During the four hundred year period, God did not speak to His people. And so they waited in expectation.

As Christmas approaches, children all over the world are anticipating awakening on Christmas morning hoping to find their wishes fulfilled. Some have wished for a new bicycle, a new video game, the latest sneakers or a new mobile phone. As a child’s hope and anticipation at the joyous gift expected crescendo on Christmas morning, the world’s long wait for its gift came to a celebratory end. The prophet Isaiah says we would know when the gift comes because, “…the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The gift came with the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Merry Christmas!