Christmas on Tiptoe

Waiting with Eager Expectation

At Christmas, the world celebrates the coming of the Christ, and His people long for His return. Yet thousands of least-reached people groups still don’t know the good tidings of great joy! What does it mean for believers to wait in eager expectation for these people to worship the Savior who was sent to earth?

The posture of Advent …

Look at a nativity scene, and you will see that each character has a posture: Mary kneels in the straw beside the manger; Joseph stands protectively beside her. The angel announces joyous good news for the world to hear. Shepherds hurry through the dark or crouch on the edge of the scene. Magi offer their gifts, kneeling, arms outstretched.

Look closer …

Look more deeply into the story. See the dirt, blood and filth in the straw where Mary kneels. Take a breath and smell the pungent odors, heavy in the air. Ponder the righteous faith of Joseph as he took this woman as his wife, believing God and ignoring scandal. Feel the terror of the shepherds as they cower before the radiance of heaven’s messenger. Imagine the bewilderment of the travel-weary magi to finally behold prophesy fulfilled in the child who is King. Rejoice with the angelic host as they offer praise in the midst of the mystery. God in flesh. A Savior. Christ the Lord.

Oblivious …

Even as history turned a corner, as prophecy became reality, nations and kingdoms proceeded with their plans, ignorant of history’s shift. Like the least-reached today. Thousands of these people groups still do not know Jesus. They have never heard the gospel. They remain unaware of the good tidings of great joy. Though the message is for all peoples, there are still entire people groups without a witness or church in their own language, culture or region.

Waiting …

The harvest waits. The Lord of the harvest continues to send out His messengers. Workers step into communities still held captive in the dark night of sin’s curse. They learn languages and cultures. They share these glad tidings. They speak of life and hope . They tell, not just of His birth, but of His death, resurrection and coming return. And they share again, and again and again.

Believing …

As messengers with a heavenly burden, workers walk in faith. They kneel in prayer. They offer a treasure to those who may wait years to receive it. They grow weary.  They are strengthened. They strategize and plan, yet loss and failure seem to win the day. They trust. They rejoice. They speak again, proclaiming a glorious message of peace and joy through the dust and mud of everyday existence.

Emanuel. God with us. He meets us in the messiness of our imperfect, broken world. He does what we can never do. He saves.

The world is still waiting in expectation. The Lord is coming again. But for now, He waits. He forbears for the sake of the nations, for the least-reached who have not yet heard.

We go. We proclaim. We pray.

And then, like children standing on our tiptoes, we wait with eager expectation to see what God will do next!

Participate by Praying:

• Pray for workers that labor in lands covered by spiritual darkness. Ask God to give them endurance and perseverance to proclaim His glory.
• Ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers to the least-reached, and that He would draw these peoples to Himself through their labor.
• Ask God to use His people to raise up worshipers for Himself in communities where He is not yet worshiped.
• Pray for opportunities to proclaim the good news among least-reached people in your neighborhood.