Waiting Expectantly

You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

Micah 5:2

When you order something online, you must choose a shipping option based on how eager you are for your package to arrive: regular ground shipping (five to seven days; cheapest), expedited ground (faster), USPS Priority Mail, or overnight (most expensive). If it’s a digital product (book, music, software), you can often receive it instantly by downloading it to your device. Once you’ve paid for something, it’s hard to wait for it. The temptation is great to pay a high price to have it delivered ASAP.

Think how Israel must have felt knowing her Messiah had been promised and was coming, but not knowing when He would appear. The promise (in veiled fashion) began thousands of years before the birth of Christ, in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15), and was gradually made more specific—except for the time.

We know Jesus is coming again. Like Israel of old, we don’t need to know when, but we need to be ready when He appears.

Anyone can devise a plan by which good people go to heaven. Only God can devise a plan whereby sinners, which are His enemies, can go to heaven.

LEWIS SPERRY CHAFER