Better Than Expected

When we have high expectations we are often disappointed. This happens when we go on vacation. It happens when we anticipate a birthday, when we meet old friends, and it even happens at Christmas. We seem to be pretty creative about what we expect. Perhaps it is because we have a high value of ourselves and on what we deserve. If we had our expectations and our merit lined up, we would not likely be so disappointed.

         But guess what happens at Christmas? We do not get what we deserve. We deserved an old lump of coal. Or worse yet, we deserved the pit from which the old lump was mined, deep, dark, dirty, deserving. But what did we get? What did God give us for our failures? What did He bestow upon us for our sins? What did this Holy God do to His unholy children?

         He gave them a Holy Baby. He gave them a Son to take away their sins. He gave them a propitiation for the ugliness. He exchanged a diamond for a chunk of coal.

But He didn’t leave you dirty and undeserving. He forgave you. He washed you. He called you His beloved. He feasted you at His Table. This is certainly better than expected. And a very Merry Christmas, indeed!