Daily Archives: January 13, 2010

“Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!”
– Psalm 27:14 (KJV)

Everyone knows Advent is a time of waiting, of anticipation. As the days crawl closer to Christmas, we wait. Kids wait — fingers twitching, mouths running — for presents. It’s almost unbearable. Husbands wait for those few precious days off when they can (hopefully) sleep in, gorge themselves on good (and junk) food while watching football or WW2 movies. Wives wait for it to all be over so we can get back to “normal” life.

Is this reflective of the first Christmas? Was Mary eager to get it over with? Did Joseph simply long for a place to rest? Perhaps our children most reflect the angels — singing, rejoicing, anticipating, celebrating with abandon.

It’s the middle of January and I’m talking about Christmas. Worse: I’m talking about the season before Christmas! But this is my point: we currently live in another advent.

Mary and Joseph and thousands of Jews had waited for generations for the Messiah. We now wait for the Messiah to return.

God had been silent for over 400 years. God often seems silent to us now.

Mary and Joseph had to prepare. They were ready and excited and nervous, I’m sure. But they were obedient. Are we ready? Are we obedient?

During Christmas Advent we wait in anticipation, but I fear that in this other advent, we wait with apathy. Sure, we know Christ is coming again, but do we groan with the earth during His absence? Do we pray with longing toward His return? Are we prepared? Have we done the tasks given us?

This morning Ellie woke with a dilly-dally in her toes. The girl could not move beyond a snail’s pace. After asking her four times to don her coat, gloves and hat, I walked out the door with Zach in tow. I had already warmed the car, but it took a few minutes to get Zach buckled and settled and load the car with his backpack, lunch and rest-time blanket and pillow. I returned to find the girl sobbing hysterically in the middle of the living room, still not wearing her hat, coat or gloves.

I am not a woman of false humility. I’m also, quite possibly, the least patient woman in the world, especially when it comes to traffic or obedience. I would be lying if I said I handled this well. I didn’t. I was furious. I yelled. I took my precious child to school with tears still running down her face, a scowl upon mine. (A whole other post may be warranted to deal with my guilt.)

Why am I sharing this? Because Ellie knew what she was supposed to do; she knew I was coming back and that I expected her to get it done. Instead of completing her task, she cried and complained that I had left in the first place.

I was only gone for a few minutes. She didn’t have time to forget. Have we forgotten? It’s been 2000 years …

I became angry and disappointed at her disobedience. It was only a matter of outwear, not the handling of souls and eternity. Will Christ be disappointed if we fail? Are we even trying? Or have the distractions of everyday life on this earth overshadowed our spiritual responsibilities?

We are in an advent. I want to feel the same excitement, anticipation and fruitful busyness of Christmas all year long. I want to have the promise of His glorious return forever at the forefront of my mind.

“You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man
will come when least expected.”
– Matthew 24:44 (NLT)