“The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud commotion that could be heard far in the distance.” Ezra 3:13
I know the feeling of anticipation, excitement, being nervous, even frustrated, and all too well. I get all four of them every Friday night at my husband’s football games and for my brother-in-law who coaches for the Redskins.
I get those same four feelings during Avery’s t-ball games, soccer games, and now basketball games. I get them when company comes over and I am not sure what mood my sweet baby Dax will be in.
I also get them before I speak, when Garrett speaks, when I teach, and even when I study.
Sometimes I even get them when I write.
I like them. Is that odd? Maybe a little. Normal, I think so.
I know these, put a knot in my stomach feelings so well because I get them when I study the Precious Word of God. That is why I like them.
I love the anticipation of my daily affair with Jesus. I get overly excited to open His Word, I get nervous when He begins to speak, when He calls me to go and do, and when He disciplines me. I even get frustrated when I realize I have failed Him, disappointed Him, and sinned against Him. I get frustrated when I don’t understand a particular passage, all to find out I didn’t get it because I wouldn’t listen, or because I tried to get it from my own human logic. That, I know, accomplishes nothing.
These feelings, they don’t stop there.
Do you know I anticipate sharing God’s Word with you and others? I get VERY excited when I see and hear others excited about Jesus. I get VERY excited to see others come to Christ, to see walls broken down, lives transformed, marriages restored, sick people healed, and addictions overcome. I get VERY excited to teach God’s Word and be taught. I get VERY excited to see young and old hunger and become passionate about the Lord and His Word.
I get nervous when I see people get caught up in sin, I get nervous when God reminds me that time is running out and people are dying and going to hell.
I get frustrated when people disregard the Word of God, His existence, and the power and importance of His death. I get frustrated when I/we fail to minister to the broken and instead minister to self. I get frustrated when we know our lifestyles are worldly yet we continue to try and straddle both God and the World.
I like these feelings because I believe Jesus experienced them too.
Christ’s anticipation-The Cross
Christ’s excitement-When He is chosen to be Lord of our life and when He gets to bring us home. I think He has many, many, many excitements.
Christ’s nervousness- The time right before His death.
Christ’s frustrations-being ignored, rejected, placed second…
Jesus may we anticipate our meeting with You more. May we become excited about Your Word and who You are. May our nervousness move us to deeper faith and trust, and may our frustrations become teaching tools that help us grow. Amen
