It's like if you're looking for it you'll find it, kind of thing. You know how some people get to work in the morning and express just how miserably cold it is, while the next person walks in and says, "Today is the sunniest day we've had this week!"
Perhaps there is more truth in "Seek and you shall find," than we realize.
Recently I've been reading "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck. During one particular scene of the the story a local man is dialoguing with another man's Chinese servant, Lee.
Well the servant normally speaks in short broken English, or what they call pidgin. Except for this time. During this conversation Lee suddenly breaks out of the slow and broken English and begins discussing with the other man in a fluent manner. The man then inquires as to why Lee always speaks the way he does since his English is actually so good.
"Lee said, 'I know it's hard to believe, but it has happened so often to me and to my friends that we take it for granted. If I should go up to a lady or a gentleman, for instance, and speak as I am doing now, I wouldn't be understood.'
'Why not?'
'Pidgin they expect, and pidgin they'll listen to. But English from me they don't listen to, and so they don't understand it.'
'Can that be possible? How do I understand you?'
'That's why I'm talking to you. You are one of the rare people who can separate your observation from your preconception. You see what is, where most people see what they expect.'"
We often expect so many different things from Christmas every year, don't we? Lots of family time, presents, sweets, games, movies, new toys... and then perhaps we try to squeeze some of "the real meaning" of the season in on Sundays...
The question is though, what is it that your expecting to experience this season? What do you truly desire to see? What are you searching for? Because I bet, at some point, you'll find yourself in the midst of it.
This Christmas, what, or better yet, who are you expecting? Are you expecting more traffic? More travel? Are you expecting it to be filled with quality or quantity family time? Gifts, food, and so on? Or this Christmas, are you expecting the Living God? Are you expecting the God who is coming to us in millions of unexpected ways?
Are you expecting the Jesus who would even to us come as a child?
May you this season, seek out, look for, expect the coming of our God... if you will expect with an open and humble heart, you will find Him. In countless ways.
Expect the unexpected this Christmas.
Merry Christmas,
~ Caleb
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