Expectation

 There was an expectation that the Messiah would be born

 King of the Jews.

 So many words foretelling
 signs in the heavens.

 A star moved across the night sky,
 watched intently by those who had studied the words and signs,
 and thought they knew the meaning of them.

The shepherds were expecting a pay rise soon.

 There had been grumblings and mutterings,
 voices trying to be heard.

 Some had taken the matter into their own hands,
 and flocks had been miscounted
 several times.

 Well sheep have a way of disappearing
 now and again.

Mary was expectant

 heavy with child.

 She hadn't expected the tedious donkey ride to Bethlehem for the census.

 Did they really have to be there in person?
 Not yet the future days of forms to be filled in with black ink
 within the boxes so a computer program can read it.

Joseph was expecting...

 he didn't quite know what.

 It had all been a bit of an emotional roller coaster
 for someone like him to process.

The angels were not expecting such a small audience

 to their heavenly choir.

 Great practice had gone into the harmonizing
 and there didn't seem many to appreciate it fully.

 If humans ever can appreciate angelic sounds.

Jesus was expectant of his own birth.

 He had seen down through time,
 and now the time had fully come
 to be born as a baby.

 He was ready to be
 the Saviour of the world.

Don't forget what time it is

Don't forget what time it is,

when it's late at night

and you seek selfish satisfaction

in the wrong places.

Don't forget what time it is,

and let careless pleasures
that do not build your life

rob you of your days to come.

Don't forget what time it is,

and cause offence and trouble
in others lives so they

waste their days in bitterness.

Don't forget what time it is,

and let the enemy
rob you of your potential

leaving you ashamed and broken.

Don't forget what time it is.

You have a destiny in God
that only you can fulfill

on the whole earth.

Don't forget what time it is,

that those around you are not told
the eternal destination changing

good news you already know.

Don't forget what time it is,

for we are appointed to live once

and then comes the judgement.

Don't forget what time it is.

I can't see You

I can't see You,

but I know

You are with me.

I can't touch You,

 but I feel 

Your presence with me.

It is a mystery

of faith and grace,

that we can be so sure

of Someone

you cannot prove,

but nobody can

make you deny.

By the blood of the Lamb

and the word of our testimony.

We know God,

and no one can make us

unknow Him.

They can take away

everything else we have in life,

but they cannot take away

God's Spirit from us.

Many will die for their faith

in Jesus, 

many will suffer loss.

But this world is so fleeting,

what's the point

of worrying.

Eternal consequences

are far more weighty,

than human allegiance

to systems that will

all eventually be destroyed.

I know Jesus,

and no one 

can remove His Holy Spirit from my life.

Thank you Lord.

Nothing can separate us from Your love.