Pregnant with Anticipation

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Yeshua. (Matthew 1:21)

Expectant parents spend a lot of time thinking about their child-to-be. They ponder what the baby will look like. They make guesses about when he or she will arrive. They dream about what their child's personality will be like. They pray for their child's future and wonder what life path he or she will take. Parents-to-be spend nine months both physically pregnant and also pregnant with expectations.

Mary's pregnancy must have produced exponentially more expectation for her. Not only was Mary pregnant, but she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. She likely spent her time not only imagining what Yeshua would look like, but also pondering the mysteries of a virgin birth, the responsibility of raising the promised Messiah, and the prophesies that predicted his sacrifice. She was pregnant with extra expectation.

As we move closer to Christmas, it would be good for us to grow pregnant with extra expectation as well. Spend some time pondering the mysteries surrounding Christ's conception and birth. Wonder at the way God chose to reveal himself to the world. Dream about what the world would look like if people truly lived according to the ways of Christ's kingdom. Pray for the peace that the "Prince of Peace" came to bring. As we encounter Christ this Christmas, may we find that he exceeds every expectation we ever had.

Grow my anticipation as the celebration of your birth approaches, Lord Yeshua. Amen.

This Week in *hic* History

The date is December 5, 1933...the headlines read: "Prohibition Ends At Last" and bartenders wait for the rush!

The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to the era of national prohibition of alcohol in America. At 5:32 pm EST, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the requisite three-fourths majority of states' approval. Pennsylvania and Ohio had ratified it earlier in the day.

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse affects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for national liquor abstinence. Several states outlawed the manufacture or sale of alcohol within their own borders. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the "Manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes" was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On January 29, 1919, the 18th Amendment achieved the necessary three-fourths majority of state ratification. Prohibition essentially began in June of that year, but the amendment did not officially take effect until January 29, 1920.

In the meantime, Congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit of the Treasure Department. In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution efforts, and federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In most urban areas, the individual consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered in "speakeasies" the Prohibition-era term for saloons.

Prohibition, failing fully to enforce sobriety and costing billions, rapidly lost popular support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws. Mississippi, the last dry state in the Union, ended Prohibition in 1966.

So the next time you have a drink.....well, think about what your grandparents had to deal with in order TO drink.