What I think about Great Expectations

What do you think about when you hear “Great Expectations?” Charles Dickens’ thirteenth novel the about the education of a young orphan nicknamed Pip? Normally I would too. But this year, something else came to mind as I hung our Christmas lights.

We have some wonderful LED lights that surround our front porch. I think they’re supposed to look like icicles; they actually don’t, but they’re attractive anyway. But the light that got my attention this year is the star we mounted over the hayloft door on the barn. My son, Jess, climbed the high ladder to mount the star for which I’m grateful. When we plugged in the star, it was much brighter than I anticipated, and instantly, the thought “Great Expectations” came to my mind.

It was like the light went on in my brain and spirit too as the light dispelled the darkness surrounding the barn and corral. In fact, I took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook with the caption: “Great Expectations.” My thoughts were mixed between what happened in the Bethlehem manger over 2,000 years ago and the Great Expectations of His coming again. Might it be soon??? The Old Testament of the Bible is full of prophecies (expectations) of His first advent. Here are just a few:

•The Messiah would come from the house of David

•The Messiah would be born of a virgin

•The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

•The Messiah would be called a Nazarene, and

•The Baby will be wrapped in “Swaddling clothes.”

There are many more prophecies about the birth of Christ, but this last point is special to me this year. That’s because my brother-in-law excitedly called me last week to tell me about a recent discovery he made on this point. I’ve since researched it myself to find that a Jewish Rabbi, Jason Sobel, is teaching that the swaddling clothes are what the Levitical priests at the time Jesus was born were using to wrap baby lambs that were being prepared for sacrificial offerings according to the Jewish law. That would have been something that the shepherds, to whom the angel appeared, would have easily understood in their culture.

At any rate, it felt like an epiphany when we turned on the star light over the hayloft door last week. And as I was preparing this column this morning, I realized that “epiphany” has more than one meaning, both of which relate to this story:

•One definition is “a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand or suddenly became conscious of something…”

•Another definition is the “January 6 observance as the festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of the Christ to the gentiles.”

All of these thoughts fill me with “Great Expectations” for a future filled with peace and joy instead of the one of turmoil and strife we’ve all been dealing with lately. May Great Expectations of God’s peace be with you in this wonderful season of the year!

Thanks for reading All About Seniors … see you next week.

Bill Milby is a Director of Visiting Angels® of Central Georgia, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA/.

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