"Daddy, when is Friday?"

Yesterday evening our family was taking a walk together after dinner. Anna and I began talking about Living Hope's Father/Child camp out.

She asked, "Is it time for the camp out today?"

"No," I said, "that is not till Friday."

"Friday?" She said, "When is Friday?"

Friday will not get here soon enough for her. She can't wait! She is in full anticipation of this special time. She has been asking about it since last year and talking about it regularly since I told her I signed us up a few weeks ago. Anticipation comes easily for children. Wonder, awe, hopes, dreams and even wishes come naturally to their wide-eyed perspective on the world.

Of course, we have all lived past the day of such child like luxury. We've taken a a few courses at the school of hard knocks. We long since learned that stars are just stars and nothing to wish upon. We've quit wasting money on wishing fountains. "It is what it is," we moan as we march in the ruts of life.

But, if we'll let him, Jesus has come to get in our face and challenge our lack of anticipation.

Jesus came teaching a gospel of anticipation. (By the way, just in case any one wonders, the word "gospel" means good news). He came teaching us to anticipate what is and what is to come in the Kingdom of God. Take some time to read through the parables of Jesus on the Kingdom of God. He preached anticipation into existence. He also prayed it into existence.

The Lord's Prayer is a powerful example, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name, they kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil."

The first word prompts anticipation. Jesus tells us to approach God as "Father." Actually, even our translation of Father is too formal. The word Jesus uses is "Abba" which is better translated, "Daddy." That is a word of anticipation. Even human daddy's, at least the ones who have earned the right to be called daddy, don't withhold their love from their children. How much more so is it with your Daddy in heaven? The first words of this prayer evoke the image of a young child running shouting, "Daddy, Daddy" as his Father enters the house after a long day of work.

"Hallowed be your name" is a prayer of anticipation. It is asking God to make himself known in our lives and in our world. It is taking a realistic look at what our world puts in the spot light and saying, "Daddy, put the spot light on you."

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That is a request of bold anticipation. Jesus challenges us to not just go through the motions, but to actually, pray, act, live, expect God's Kingdom of heaven to break in on earth. What in the world are we the church doing shaking our heads at the evil and suffering of this world? our job is not to shake our heads and let the world go to hell. Our job is to redeem the world in which we live from the grips of hell's suffering and evil. 30,000 children may die daily from starvation and 200 children may be going hungry on the weekends in our community and the only option Jesus gives his Church is to do something in the name of Christ about it! Thank you for being a church that understands that this line of the Lord's prayer can only be prayed with your hands and feet moved to action as the hands of feet of Jesus' love.

"Give us this day our daily bread" is also a supplication of anticipation. Few of us know what it is like to go to bed not knowing how our basic needs will be met in the morning (However, let us not close our eyes to the millions around the world for whom this is true). But Jesus says that as his Follower we can lay our head down at night not knowing from where what we need will come, but fully anticipating that it will come. He will meet our needs.

"Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil" are also prayers of anticipation. Why do we assume defeat before the battle begins? How many of us have resigned ourselves to the fact of continual, habitual failure to sin? How many of us tell others, "That's just how I am? Its how my family as always been. Its how I will always be"? How many of us look at the mountains of evil in this life and say you can't overcome that? Jesus does not let us get away with such small thinking. He challenges us to anticipate what his death and resurrection has already guaranteed...VICTORY!

"Daddy, when is Friday?" was my daughter's question of anticipation. Jesus invites us to live in anticipation through Him..."when" is coming and he wants to make "when" now and one day "when" will be way beyond now. Will you be a Follower of Christ who prays and lives out this anticipation? Will church who anticipates God's Kingdom breaking in? Will we be a church whose love in action allows others to anticipate God among us?