STANDING ON TIPTOE
I originally wrote the following on December 5, 2009, at the age of 23…however, I strongly believe the message holds as true today as it did a decade ago. Merry Christmas: past, present, and future! 🙂
Last night was a beautiful night. White twinkle lights glowed in greenery and a cinnamon candle flickered to give the whole room a distinctly holiday warmth as I decorated my art studio for what has consistently been my favorite time of the year: the Christmas season. Though still only early December, the sounds of carols wafted through the air as if it were already Christmas Eve, followed later by a classic holiday movie that ended with the well-wished, “may all your Christmases be white”. And it was that anticipation which made the evening so special. Though the weather forecast had predicted snow might be falling by 3:00 AM, I kept running back to the window every few minutes just to make sure it had not already arrived without me knowing it. No matter how old I become, when someone mentions there is even a possibility of snow coming I turn into a little kid again—standing on tiptoe at the windowsill while straining to see that first delicate white flake fall from the sky. All the way till midnight I kept returning to peer into the darkness, hoping to see even a tiny flurry to put the crowning touch on what had already been a perfect evening.
But it never came.
At last, exhaustion from all the waiting and working drove me to bed…yet, even as I fell asleep, my heart still clung to the hope that the morning sun just might reveal the ground all dusted white: like powdered sugar on the top of a Christmas cookie.
When I awoke this morning I could tell it was still somewhat dark outside. Rising partly out of bed, I tried to determine through a narrow slit in my blinds if the tree branches outside were white or not. I couldn’t see much, but the dark outline of their naked limbs didn’t look promising. With a sigh, I fell back on my pillow: disappointed but not altogether surprised. This was not the first time in my long years of snow watching that all my hope had been let down. Cynicism began to kick in immediately and I determined it was silly and childish to get so excited over something so elusive; sometimes it’s just safer not to get your hopes up. So I drifted back into a fitful rest, half asleep and half awake and not sure I wanted to abandon my warm covers for whatever the day held.
But then something completely unexpected happened. A strong voice echoed through my heart, piercing my drowsy stupor; a voice that has become dearer to me than any I have ever known. But this time it wasn’t soft (like usual): it was clear and commanding. In a tone as playfully rebuking as I have ever heard, Jesus spoke to my soul:
“Stop acting like a grown-up,” He reprimanded, “and go see if there is any snow!”
Somewhat taken back, I realized in an instant that whether or not there was any snow was not as important as the child-like faith, wonder, and belief that it could be there. So obediently I arose from bed, took hold of the blind chord, and started pulling. What I saw out the window when their dark veil had been removed caught my breath.
There was snow everywhere!
Not just a dusting, but a blanket: more like frosting on the top of a birthday cake than sugar on a cookie! I started jumping up and down, threw my hands up into the air, and shouted “Merry Christmas!” at the top of my lungs (feeling for all the world like George Bailey at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life). There are some moments when even imaginations as vivid as mine are completely overwhelmed by the fact that God’s ways are not our ways and His plans and Story are so much higher and better than anything we could ever dream up! For an hour I just worshiped and smiled and laughed and worshiped some more (taking a few pictures in between just to make sure the beauty would never be completely lost).
Finally, with a heart full of gratitude to the Giver of all good gifts and with love for my beautiful Savior, a great desire came over me to read His last words recorded in Scripture. Like a woman in love searches for the last line of the last love letter she received from her lover, my heart leapt to Revelation to read whatever the parting words of Jesus were to His Bride, the Church. I could not remember what they were exactly but seemed to recall an “amen” in there somewhere (which means “so be it”, not “the end” as we so often seem to think). Once again, when my eyes fell on the final red letter etched on the page, my breath caught in my chest from surprise and wonder. There was an “amen” at the end of the precious scroll but it was not in red: it was the last word written by the Apostle John. Two sentences before, in Revelation Chapter 22, verse 20, the final written words of our glorious Savior, reigning King, Jesus Christ, burned with as much intensity as they must have when they were first spoken:
“He Who testifies these things says ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ ” [emphasis mine]
Wow!
My eyes read the words again and my heart soared:
“YES, I AM COMING QUICKLY.”
There was no “end” in that! “I am coming quickly” is not what you would say to a person you never intended to see again. If my Dad came up to me and said “I’ll be back soon” I wouldn’t think that meant he was leaving me forever. I would assume he meant exactly what he said and would be back inside the house by the time the hot chocolate was ready and the lights were turned on. And yet, how often have I heard someone say “Jesus is coming back soon” and I either didn’t truly take it to heart or I was filled with fear of all the horrible things I might have to live through before He does?
That question set me thinking.
What if I watched and waited for His return with the same anticipation that I watched for the snow last night? He told us to be alert, always ready for His coming because we did not know the day or the hour. We have no way of knowing when it will happen (even Jesus doesn’t know! Matthew 24:36), just like you can never tell when that first flake will fall, but that shouldn’t keep us from watching. Now, don’t take this wrong: He told us to “occupy” until He comes (Luke 19:13) not sit at the window twiddling our thumbs. To bring justice to the poor, to teach the truth of the Gospel to the next generation, to rescue those who are oppressed (both by satan and by those who have aligned themselves with him)…to literally be God’s instruments He lives through to bring His Kingdom on this planet earth—right now! That’s our calling as His people. But just like I was working last night—busily decorating for the future and spending time with my family, yet still rushing at times to the window—we also can work, prepare for the future, and minister while we are still watching: all at the same time!
Of course, you know what the sad part is?
I went to bed too early.
I didn’t see the very first flake of the very first snowfall because I got tired and gave up too quickly.
Do you see the metaphor?
“Wait a minute,” you might protest, “are you saying I should lose sleep over this? I mean, people have been saying Jesus would come back for centuries and He still hasn’t: am I supposed to live my whole life in crazy anticipation of something that may not happen for a thousand years?”
Well, YES…if that’s what it takes for us to stop acting like disappointed “grown-ups” and start looking for our King and Bridegroom with child-like faith once more!
He promised He would come quickly…that means He is coming quickly! The same way all those promises came true that said He would come the first time as a baby in a manger, so every single promise will come true about Him coming the second time as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS! He will “wipe away every tear” from our eyes. He will reign. He will right every wrong. He will “beat the swords into pruning hooks” and teach His people to laugh again and never, ever fight with fear. He will punish the serpent and renew all that has been destroyed. He will judge with awful wrath and justice those who refused to turn to Him, but exalt to glory even the humblest of His servants who trusted in His name. There will be no more sorrow, no more sighing, no more pain, and no more night. God will make His dwelling among men and every nation, tribe, and tongue will go up with rejoicing to His Mountain…forever and ever, AMEN!
So this Christmas let’s celebrate like never before, work like never before, and watch like never before, remembering that, through Christ, every promise is ours: in this life and in the life to come! May we stop “acting like grown-ups”, grown hard and cold with the pressures and sorrows of life, and return to the faith, wonder, and belief of little children. Let us stand on tiptoe at the windowsill, eyes fixed on the East, hearts fixed on our King.
HE IS COMING QUICKLY!
Live EPIC,
CHRISTIS JOY
