Expectation (Revisited)

There was an expectation that the Messiah would be born
 King of the Jews.
 So many words foretelling
 signs in the heavens.
 A star moved across the night sky,
 watched intently by those who had studied the words and signs,
 and thought they knew the meaning of them.

 The shepherds were expecting a pay rise soon.
 There had been grumblings and mutterings,
 voices trying to be heard.
 Some had taken the matter into their own hands,
 and flocks had been miscounted
 several times.
 Well sheep have a way of disappearing
 now and again.

 Mary was expectant
 heavy with child.
 She hadn't expected the tedious donkey ride to Bethlehem for the census.
 Did they really have to be there in person?
 Not yet the future days of forms to be filled in with black ink
 within the boxes so a computer program can read it.

 Joseph was expecting...
 he didn't quite know what.
 It had all been a bit of an emotional roller coaster
 for someone like him to process.

 The angels were not expecting such a small audience
 to their heavenly choir.
 Great practice had gone into the harmonizing
 and there didn't seem many to appreciate it fully.
 If humans ever can appreciate angelic sounds.

 Jesus was expectant of his own birth.
 He had seen down through time,
 and now the time had fully come
 to be born as a baby.
 He was ready to be
 the Saviour of the world.