Waiting is easy, isn’t it? Who am I kidding? Most of us don’t enjoy waiting, including me! Yet, I love the season of Advent. It is one of the only times that waiting brings with it much excitement, at least for me. It is a season that I don’t mind waiting and it seems to me that many others don’t either. The more we wait, the more excited we get. We move about in wonder and worship. The expectation and anticipation, brings such joy. What is it about waiting in this season that makes it worth the wait? Why do we have more patience or in our lack of patience have more laughter and much to look forward to? Maybe, it is because we are on the other side of the greatest gift for which anyone ever waited.
The children of God waited over 400 years for the coming of the Messiah. That is a long time to wait! While they waited, they searched, with a sense that “this could be the day” or “is this him?” “Is it now?” Their waiting, their expectation was fueled with hope and belief. God had made a promise and they expected nothing less than the fulfillment of that promise. After 400 years their answer came. God broke through the silence. God ended the wait. God’s voice, light, power and presence broke through.
It is a season that I don’t mind waiting and it seems to me that many others don’t either. The more we wait, the more excited we get.
What answers to prayer are you waiting on? What expectation and desire still needs to be fulfilled in your life? I know for me that there are some areas in my life that I have been waiting for God to move in, for a very long time. It hasn’t been 400 years but it has been longer than I would like. The excitement-the belief-the trust- that I carry when it comes to Advent, I have to admit is not the same faith that I have carried, while waiting for desires of my heart to move from awaited to received. Yet I know that God is faithful to His Word. The four truths-themes-statements of the Advent season remind me of who God is and what I wait for.
God is a God of hope. He is our hope.
When I am waiting, I am reminded that hope does not disappoint me when given to the right person and in the right place- that is God. I look for His Word to breathe fresh perspective to my waiting and to remind me that God is able. I put my hope in His holy Word that accomplishes what it was sent to do. After all, Jesus was the Word. He did come and accomplish what He was to do!
God is a God of peace. He is our peace. He brings us peace.
He speaks peace into my situations as I make my requests to him alone. His peace guards my heart and mind. He keeps me in perfect peace when I keep my mind stayed on him and not on prayers that have not been answered YET.
God is a God of Joy.
His joy is what gives me the strength to keep going. I choose to rejoice in the Lord always and have his presence give me fulness of joy. God rejoices over me and I must believe that if He is singing over me that He has good plans for me.
God is love. God gives love. God loves me. God loves you.
Nothing separates me from the love of God-even my waiting. Time is in God’s hands and waiting does not erase His love.
As you wait for more than Christmas. As you continue to wait even after the Advent and Christmas season, I pray one of my favourite verses over you and me:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).
While you wait for answers-wait in His hope, in His peace, in His joy and in His love. Better yet-wait for His hope, for His peace, for His joy and for His love. Wait with expectation and excitement because you will receive it. You already have.
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