There is a lot of hype about the holidays. We buy presents; we attend countless parties and holiday events. We travel to see relatives. We stress ourselves out building up for that one climactic day each year, and then it is over. If we were honest, we would admit that most of the time Christmas never lives up to our expectations. For many, the season will leave us disappointed.
This week, I read about a young mother who was having a bad day. Her phone rang and a kind and gentle voice on the other end said, “How are you, sweetheart? What kind of day are you having?”
“Oh, Mother,” said the woman, “I’m having such a bad day. The baby won’t eat, the washing machine broke down, the house is a mess, I haven’t had a chance to go Christmas shopping and we’re having two couples over for dinner tonight.”
The mother was overwhelmed with sympathy. “Oh, honey,” she said, “Sit down, relax, and close your eyes for a few minutes. I’ll be over in half an hour. You can go shopping. I’ll clean the house and cook your dinner for you. I’ll feed the baby, and I’ll call a repairman to fix the washing machine. Now stop crying. I’ll do everything. In fact, I’ll even call John at the office and ask him to come home and help out.”
“John?” said the housewife. “Who’s John?”
“Why, John! Your husband!… Isn’t this 555-1265?”
“No, it’s 555-1264.”
“Oh, I must have dialed the wrong number.”
There was pause. Then the helpless woman asked, “Does this mean you’re not coming over?”
How can we keep from being disappointed? How can we ensure that this Christmas season will live up to our great expectations? Put our expectations in the Lord. Seek to deepen your relationship with Christ and He will meet your every expectation. It really can happen this year! Let Christ be your all-in-all. See you at 5:00 PM!
