Advent and the Christmas season can sadly become all about anticipation for me. The build up and the preparation can be as exciting as the one Christmas day event. This isn’t what celebrating Jesus coming as a baby to save us should be like but with all the extras it can and does happen.
A few nights ago I unplugged our fire hazard of a Christmas tree. Our home was built in the 1960’s and apparently there was a fad where no light fixtures were installed in living areas. When the lights that decorated the tree were unplugged I noted to my kids how dark it was in our living room.
After Christmas can feel dark to. There is a let down after all the work of preparing and all the going and doing are done. Life goes back to it’s original schedule and we are left in the cold and dark season (at least where we live).
Other things in life an be like the let down of Christmas too. We can have seasons that feel dark.
BUT…
We can anticipate something through every season, and when it arrives there will not be a let down. The anticipation and preparation of this can’t hold a candle to what is to come.
The anticipation, of heaven, of residing in full communion uninhibited by our sinful nature with our creator will not be a let down. It won’t be an eternal church service as some portray. (If you are looking for some biblical insight on what heaven will be like I would highly recommend reading Home by Elyse Fitzpatrick) Elyse does an outstanding job discussing what heaven holds. However I don’t think we will be able to completely comprehend what residing with God is like and being free from sin will be like until we are there. I don’t think out minds can fully wrap around it, however I’m thankful Elyse took this project on to stretch our imaginations within the context of the cross and scripture. Knowing what is to come may (no guarantees but it might help) make the anticipation in life a little sweeter.
2 Corinthians 5:1-5 speaks about this anticipation better than I can:
For we know that if this tent that is our earthly home is destroyed
we have a building from God,
a house made not with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this tent we groan,
longing to put on our heavenly dwelling
if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked
For while we are still in this tent
we groan
being burdened
not that we would be unclothed
but that we would be further clothed
so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God,
who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
All the anticipation will not be the main event when we are further clothed in our heavenly homes prepared for us by God. The main event will be the main event.
