“We are expecting!”

A friend shared these happy words followed by lots of smiles and hugs.

A baby is coming.

“What expectations do you have of me?”

These words were asked of me by a coworker.

Specific work and work ethic needs to happen.

“I’m not expecting someone.”

We all think this when there is a knock at our door.

Expectation brings something specific after a wait, like a baby, things people expect us to do, or a visitor at our door.

I find I use the words expectation and hope in the wrong way.

Hope has the words feeling and desire in its definition.

It is not as black and white as expectation.

I was expecting my family Christmas gatherings to be perfect, loving, experiences. That can lead to disappointment.

I hope our family gatherings will be loving experiences in the future. There’s less disappointment.

With the two words of expectation and hope on my mind, I read this coming Sunday’s Gospel.

I noticed how it says the people were filled with expectation about Christ, the anointed one of God, coming.

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. Luke 3:15

They didn’t hope, they expected!

I can hear Jesus saying to me, and to you, “Don’t hope that I bless your New Year, expect it.”

This coming weekend, we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, which ends the Christmas Season.

Were you Baptized?

Yes? Hear Jesus’ call to expect His presence in your life as you live as His disciple.

No? Hear Jesus’ invitation to be Baptized as a Child of God.

Let’s hope in the Lord always, and expect His presence, love, and blessing.

Blessings of God-expectations!