The Beauty of Waiting

Waiting can be a beautiful time of preparation.

Yesterday, marked the beginning of the church calendar. The “church” doesn’t run on the January to December calendar or the fiscal year calendar, that ends in June. The “church,” ends its year with Christ the King Sunday, which focuses on Jesus’ second coming, and begins it’s year with Advent, which focuses on getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ first coming, or his birth.

Makes perfect sense, right? Advent is the time where we ready our hearts for the entire notion that God loves us puny humans enough to become one of us. It’s kind of a blow-your-mind concept, when you really think about it, and we really don’t think about it too terribly much, do we?

We eat our Thanksgiving meal and then we are off to the races. We have trees and houses to decorate, and lists to make, gifts to buy, relatives to visit, parties to attend, meals to cook, and the list goes on. It’s awfully easy to lose the true reason that we celebrate Christmas.

We often promise ourselves each year that we will slow down next year and do it all differently, but then, we don’t. It can be incredibly difficult to focus on the “things of God,” when we live in the world of man. Yet, that’s what we are called to do.

Our sermon yesterday, focused on God’s timing and the perfection of it. Our associate pastor pointed out some of the many people in the Bible who had to wait on God’s timing. Abraham and Sarah waited twenty-five years for their promised son. David was anointed as Israel’s future king, but waited anywhere from fifteen to twenty years for God’s promise to come true. But, it did come true.

Our congregation was reminded yesterday that God always keeps His promises and His timing is perfect, even if we don’t understand it. He will keep any promises He has made to us. The Bible shows it over and over.

So, as we enter this season of Advent, let’s reflect on God’s promises and His timing.

First of all, let’s take some time to remember the enormous gift that was given to mankind over two thousand years ago. A child was born that would give every single human being the opportunity to live eternally. Let’s make a little extra space in our days to truly prepare our hearts for that gift.

Secondly, let’s ask ourselves, what areas of our lives do we feel that we have prayed consistently about, but are still waiting for answers, or deliverance, or provision from God? May we take this time of preparation and remember, that just as God perfectly timed the birth of His son to a teenaged girl in the small town of Bethlehem, He has perfectly timed plans for our lives too.

Waiting doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous. Just ask a bride-to-be or a mother-to-be. Waiting can be beautiful time of loving preparation for what is to come. May this Advent be that for you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂