John, no doubt, would be the person who talks well into the night, snores like a train engine, and makes the most noise as he gets out of bed before dawn. No doubt, he would drive everyone crazy. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Even before he was born, Luke's gospel tells us that this child growing inside of Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, jumped for joy at the mention of Lord's name. His integrity, his unselfish firmness, and his continual preaching of repentance and virtue made John the logical choice to the patron saint of freemasonry, and I imagine there are more than a more few members of Masonic lodges are present this morning.
Expectation is an inescapable part of any preparation.
It is impossible to remove from our consciences the power that expectations play. How many times have we been let down after hearing from weeks about a fabulous movie and spell-binding novel, and when we finally have a change to see or read it, the final product does not nearly measure up to its billing. Or when you were expecting a phone call or visit from a friend how instantly deflated you felt when no call or visit comes. It is especially true around holiday time, when expectations play in inseparable part of our preparation. We often expect a wonderfully staged television Christmas production to be played out in front of us.