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BY JARRETT T. WICKLEIN

It is that time of the Christian year when we are invited to what poet Luci Shaw refers to as 'a widening of our imagination.' As we approach Christmas we are called to sharpen our sense of expectation that can only be realized when we come at it with an aggressive and widened imagination.

From the time we are children our imaginations are nourished with images of stars, shepherds, gifts, elves, St. Nicholas, sugarplums, toys, and you complete the list.

Expectation is not a spectator endeavor. It is an active involvement in the ordinary with a widened imagination to see where God is working to reveal God?s self in our lives, not just in a winter season where we expect new life and birth in a fallow time. Expectation is a trait of the faithful follower of the Way of Christ all the time.

Too often we are like Zechariah who when challenged by Gabriel to expect God?s action in his life asked: 'Do you expect me to believe this?' And we do not think of the deep spiritual meaning and value of surprise births, healing stories, gbwc_superusering stars and angel choruses.

Nor do we identify with Mary asking the angel: 'But how?' and the angel answering: 'Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.' Then finding ourselves filled, as Mary was filled, with expectation and a widening that could not be imagined. And yet, she exclaimed: 'Let it be with me just as you say!'

Expectation is full of surprises. We might be left speechless as Zechariah was and filled as Mary found herself. It is only with a widened imagination that we can fully comprehend and grasp what God has for us in life. It is the expectation that we will be surprised by God acting in our life that makes us more sensitive and aware of God?s presence in even the pedestrian events of life.

Expectation is letting the boundaries of life be more porous and pliable. This is accomplished by a widening of our imagination. To be fully faithful, imagination is necessary. The brightest and best of our tradition began as visionaries and dreamers. We are called to receive God?s revelations in life with new clear seeing eyes and hearts and a broad fresh approach to the life of faith.

The purpose of expectation is to open a new reality and draw us to its center. We do this when we grasp life and faith with a widened imagination.

The Rev. Jarrett T. Wicklein is pastor of Mt. Vernon Place UMC in Baltimore.