Steve Allen the well-known in his day, the comedian and writer, tells a story when his mother came over to visit her grandson, at that age Billy two and half years old many, many years ago. And grandma quietly walked into little Billy’s bedroom and said to her little grandson, “Billy, do you know who I am?” Billy looked up at her and said, “Why? Don’t you?”

Jesus, faithful to the father, knew who he was and what he was about. But not in the sense that he had his whole life planned out and went to the cross to fulfill a predetermined schedule. Rather, Jesus trusted God, his father, he trusted life and all of us are called to do very same.

Now, consider for a moment the particular awareness of John the Baptist, in prison frustrated. Maybe somewhat disillusioned, losing hope. He sends a message through Jesus’s disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?” You were never told whether John’s disciples ever made it back with Jesus’s answer, we are never told because the question is not asked for John’s benefit rather for our benefit. Are you the one who’s to come or should we look for another?

I’m sometimes not aware of the Lord’s presence in my life because I expect him on my terms instead of entering the mystery of God’s presence on his terms. Expectations can sometimes get in the way of fulfillment and lead to disillusionment and disappointment. You know like John, we need to sometimes let go and now live life on the Lord’s terms. And be open to what God asks of us as disciples. Expectations can sometimes get in the way of fulfillment and blind us with the Lord’s presence really means in our life. Like John we can sometimes say, “I know what I wanted, I didn’t get what I expected, but I got what I wanted anyway but just didn’t know it”.

Surrendering and letting go is enriching and fulfilling not diminishing or stifling. Advent is a season to let God into our lives, not necessarily on my terms, but like God, like John we care called to stretch. Our doubts will not ruin us but indifference, apathy, anger, and unrepenting heart, unrealistic expectations, and blindness at will, for a big part of what we see in life depends upon what we are looking for.