There is a close relationship between advent and waiting. Anything that is coming must be waited for, even if only for a small amount of time. I hate waiting. If you know my story, you know there is a lot of waiting involved. My friends tell me I have a Ph.D. in Waiting. Let the record show that if degrees in Suddenly are being passed out, I would be grateful for one.
I am always mystified when I think about the remnant of people who were waiting on the promised Messiah. For hundreds of years, they watched with no record of a sign in sight. How did they continue in that type of faith? The type of watching-and-waiting faith that was continually passed down for generations.
Here is what I know from my own experience. There is wonder in the waiting. As I’ve watched for promises to come to fruition in my life, the Lord was always with me. He was always speaking, leading, and working in me. I have journals full of wonderful things that God did during those times. Even now, as I’m waiting for other things (seriously, Jesus, how much longer?) every day is new and full of mercies and something amazing.
I have a theory about those hundreds of years between the Old and New Testament as the generations of remnants were waiting on the messiah. There was wonder in their day to day life. There had to be. If they were watching and waiting, God was meeting them where they were. We may not have a Biblical book about those years, but we do know that God is same yesterday, today, and forever. And from the being of forever, he has been about relationship with people. So that’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.
So, as we watch and wait for the fulfillment of the promises spoken to us, let’s not miss the day-to-day wonders God gives us. They may be more quiet than the suddenlies, but they are still him. His voice, his leadership, his daily attention to details is what keeps us watching and passing along the Good News to the next generations.
Jesus, I’d wait with you any day. I meant it.
Brave Sparrow 