Anticipation

Here's my thought from yesterdays session at Wesley. I got some excellent feedback from my fellow students making me question the appropriateness of a thought like this. I am in a very privileged position, I have a good job and steady income. Many people are really struggling in this country right now and talk about new cars could seem insensitive. I am think now about how I might re-write the start of this thought as a result. All of my thoughts start with something that happens in my life, something that gets me thinking, and here what I wanted to show and tell was the juxtaposition between my excitement about worldly things and therefore almost missing the point on the really important things. However it's published here in it's original form.

If you feel like commenting I would be interested in your views.

Thanks,

J.

Anticipation

I have recently had to replaced my company car. The process is quite simple and great fun, first you ask for the list of available cars. Then you spend lots of time looking at brochures and websites asking yourself lots of questions like, What colour should it be? Do I want a Volkswagen or BMW? An estate or saloon? Petrol or diesel? I have to be honest, I was like a kid in a toy shop.

Then once you have made up your mind, you fill in a form, get your boss to sign it, then you have to wait. And strangely the waiting is just as much fun. It's the anticipation. I know the car is coming, I am really excited about it, I imagine all the nice features it has, and I often take just another quick look through the brochure. I even have the Volkswagen iPhone app on my phone.

But when I haven't been thinking of my new car, I have been thinking about, Anticipation. The excitement before a holiday, or Christmas. Anticipation can be wonderful and exciting. Anticipation gives us a chance to prepare for the important things, and I am no longer thinking about a new car when I say that, I am thinking about Easter, Confirmation, Marriage, or the birth of a child.

But my thoughts drifted on, don't we live our whole lives, in anticipation of heaven. We don't often get excited about that and maybe we should. Our death will be a gateway to eternal life with Christ. I should be getting excited about that. Maybe I should be grabbing that brochure called a bible more often, or quickly stealing a few moments of anticipation with my iPhone prayer app.

Anticipation about a holiday or new car is fun.

Anticipation about an eternal life spent with Christ is life changing, and that is the whole point, isn't it.