1st Monday of Advent - Waiting

Advent as a season involves both waiting and preparation. I remember the days as a youth between Thanksgiving and Christmas…they seemed to last forever.  I was distracted by lots of activity, but for a kid most of it didn’t involve me, so I waited impatiently for Christmas to arrive, oblivious to what the season was all about.   If we're honest we almost always hate to wait.  Waiting in line, waiting on the phone, waiting in traffic, waiting for dinner, waiting, waiting, waiting...it's not something I do well.

Psalm 25:1-7 (NASB)
1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in You I trust, Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed...
4 Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.


It begs the question: “Why is so difficult at times to wait?”

The Psalmist reminds us that waiting can be expectant, hopeful, trusting. The first century Jewish faithful were “waiting” for the Messiah. What they was the promise of God through the prophets that one day the Messiah would come.  But many had succumbed to disillusionment and doubt and had little expectations. Isn’t that often our dilemma of faith today also? We have succumbed to doubts, fears, and the disillusionments of the world around us and so we have little expectation of God coming into our lives.

The words below come from one of my most favorite authors:
“Waiting is essential to the spiritual life. But waiting as a disciple of Jesus is not an empty waiting. It is waiting with a promise in our hearts that makes already present what we are waiting for. We wait during Advent for the birth of Jesus. We wait after Easter for the coming of the Spirit, and after the Ascension of Jesus we wait for his coming again in glory. We are always waiting in the conviction that we have already seen God’s footsteps.
Waiting for God is an active, alert -- yes, joyful -- waiting. As we wait we remember him for whom we are waiting, and as we remember him we create a community ready to welcome him when he comes.”
[Henri Nouwen, In Joyful Hope: Meditations for Advent]

Luke 2:25-32 (NIV) 

²⁵  Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
²⁶  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
²⁷  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
²⁸  Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹  "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.

³⁰  For my eyes have seen your salvation, 

³¹  which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 

³²  a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

As we begin our Advent Journey, let us take a posture of faith and hope – of expectancy that God is always worth waiting for, and that whatever our circumstances it is worth the effort to wait, trusting that God both knows this and will come to us in time.

 One of the songs of Advent that is worth singing over and over again and reminds us of the expectancy of waiting in faith is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, Free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

A Prayer:
“Lord, in these early days of Advent I wait in expectation.  I am concerned for my friends who are hurting and wait in hope and expectation of healing and restoration.  I wait for you righteousness to be revealed in our nation.  I long, wait for the revelation of you Jesus to the church - where we might be struck by who you are, and the desire of the nations may come once again.  I wait in hope and long that this Advent may speak to the depths of my own soul - even so come Lord Jesus. Amen.”