One of the most difficult things for many of us to do is to wait. I hear people complaining about waiting in line at traffic lights, waiting in checkout lines at supermarkets, and waiting in the waiting area of a doctor’s office.

When we are young it is difficult to wait for special days like birthdays to come around. I remember one Christmas I was anticipating the holidays and was spending the day at my grandparent’s house. I decided to plunder around to see what I might be able to find before Christmas, who wants to wait until Christmas for the gifts your grandparents give.  I found a western vest, hostler, chaps, a cowboy hat, and a pair of cap guns before I was caught. They threatened to take them back to the store. I had to wait until Christmas to see if I still would get the cowboy set. Finding the loot just made waiting until Christmas even more difficult.

Carly Simon sang, “Anditipcation, it’s making me late, it’s keeping me wai – ai – ai -aiting.”

Tom Petty sang, “You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, the waiting in the hardest part.”

I say that, knowing that when my son was little and became impatient for an event or holiday he looked forward to, I would say the same words I heard as a child, “Don’t rush my life away.”

The apostle Paul pens his struggle with waiting, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” Phil 1:21-24.

In so many words, Paul says, “I am tired of waiting for heaven. I am ready to go. But I will remain patient if I can continue to be a service.”

Peter writes about some who were losing pateince: “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” 2Pe 3:8-12

Peter is telling them to remain patient, “Don’t give up waiting, Jesus will return and we will go on to be with Him.”

Anticipation.

I look forward to the day when Jesus comes to take His people home. I look forward to seeing Heaven. I look forward to being with the Father. I look forward to the a great reunion with those who have gone on befuore me. There is much to do here, so I wait, patiently as I serve in His Kingdom on earth.

What are you anticipation heaven to be like?

-Scott