Christmas is a-comin’!

In the Dreier household we have a collection of Christmas music we begin listening to right after Thanksgiving. And that quotation is from what has proven to be one of our favorite songs. Come around early November we start singing, with a giggle in our voice, “Christmas is a’comin’ . . . and it’s a’comin’ – oh and it won’t be long!”

It’s anticipation, I suppose, excited anticipation.

In liturgical churches like Ebenezer, we call this time of anticipation “Advent.”

“Advent” literally means “arrival.” We celebrate four weeks of anticipation of the arrival.

Of course, one of the arrivals I celebrate with anticipation is the arrival of Christmas and the arrival of family, and the songs, and the presents, and the food . . .

But in the church we celebrate three other arrivals.

The arrival of Jesus into our world as a baby in Bethlehem

The greatly anticipated arrival of Jesus at the End of Time when heaven will be home to all of us, when we all will truly “be home for Christmas.”

The arrival – and I think this might be the most important one of all – of Jesus daily, momentarily, constantly in our hearts.

What a Joy to the World to know that Jesus – Immanuel – is with us. What a comfort to live every moment with the knowledge that Jesus is with us. What excitement – anticipatory excitement – to realize that every moment of every day God has exciting things planned for me, and planned for me to do.

“Christmas is a’comin’ . . . and it’s a ‘comin’ – oh and it won’t be long!”

God is with you all.

Pastor Gary