How long have you waited this week? In line, in the car, for the webpage to load, the microwave to finish, in the doctor's office...



What did you do with your time? Did you multitask?



Were you patient?



Do you like to wait?



Most of us don't like to, it is part of our culture to want things immediately - pizza in 30 minutes or its free, ... maybe we feel like if we slow down we are waisting time?

In contrast, Advent invites us and gives us the chance to pause, wait and listen for the Lord's coming. A time for us to remember his first coming as a small baby. J. Marshall Jenkins in "A Wakeful Faith", reminds us that "We must listen for God day by day. We must keep an ear open to our neighbor, an ear to our hearts, and a third ear to God. Faith is a journey led by God. We pause, wait, and listen for the Guide who speaks more often than not in a still, small voice that requires careful, patient attention."

The WAITING makes the JOY better. Like soft parts of music, make for more dramatic crescendos. If we make Advent a quiet anticipation, the climax and celebration of Jesus' birth on Christmas is more joyous.

We waited for snow this year and how sweet it was when it fell on Friday night after Thanksgiving. All soft and gentle like in a movie.

Instead of having an empty feeling after the presents are opened, which is what I experience, how do we set ourselves up for joy? Our task is to prepare for his coming so that we will not miss life's greatest gift.

So we ask you to join us this evening and Advent season as we do our best to wait for Jesus.

“Those who wait for the Lord (Yahweh) shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” --Isaiah 40:31
Julie @ 9:07 AM Permalink |