Anticipating something will motivate you to see something through – I know because I’m anticipating a bike ride later today.

Anticipation gives us incentive to think about or keep waiting for something to happen. 

Like in Carly Simon’s song from 1971, in the chorus she wrote, “… Anticipation, is making me wait, is keeping me waiting.” In other words, she couldn’t get it off her mind; she couldn’t concentrate on anything else. She was just waiting for it.

When we anticipate we also think all about the thing we are anticipating. We daydream about it, what it will be like, what we will do when it arrives and many other thoughts. 

I found myself thinking about my ride through the trails. It’s been a whole winter since I’ve been on the trails. Though I know them well, I began picturing myself on my bike amongst the trees, skimming over the beaver pond on a narrow wooden bridge. 

We anticipate things all the time. And what we anticipate can be something as mundane as a trip to the corner store to something as spectacular as a vacation cruise in the Caribbean. 

No matter what we anticipate, it causes in us the same reaction. 

The sixteen year old with a brand new driver’s license has the same emotional reaction getting the nod to drive the family car to go buy milk as someone else anticipating picking up the brand new car they just purchased.

Their hearts pounds a little harder and everything else becomes a distraction to what they are anticipating. 

I remember when I was a youth pastor and we were preparing for a group retreat. Some of the teens would come up to me and remind me that we only had five sleeps or three sleeps before our trip. 

They might have had three or five days of school to live through and other things to deal with, but all they could focus on was when we would be leaving on our retreat. 

Anticipation also gets us motivated to do things – things that involve what we are anticipating. 

A couple who are anticipating the birth of their first child will be highly motivated to paint the baby’s room and fit it with all the necessary furnishings. 

Last night I found myself awake in the middle of the night, thinking about whether or not my ear buds were charged. I use them when I bike alone to listen to music while I ride. 

My buds haven’t been used for months and, though they were tucked away in a drawer of my night stand, I hauled them out in the wee hours of the night and plugged them in. 

Shortly after that I realized my bike computer would probably need charging too. 

By the time I woke up this morning, I was all charged up and ready for my ride. 

That’s what anticipation does. 

Here’s the thing: Many people anticipate the end of covid, though that end time is illusive. I would encourage you to anticipate the time you will meet Christ. We will all face Him one day. Let your anticipation get you prepared for the most important meeting of your life, and for eternity. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What are you anticipating these days? Leave your comments and questions below. 

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