A Season of Waiting!

I’m going to admit to you, I’m not very good at waiting. Whether I’m sitting in my car waiting for the light to turn green, waiting on a long line in the supermarket, or waiting for Kim to come downstairs so we can leave the house, I tend to get a bit impatient—especially when the wait becomes longer than I expected. I know many of you are the same!

This time of year, however, waiting just part of the normal course of things. We wait on long lines in the stores to pay for our merchandise. We wait in the extra traffic that is on the roads. We wait for packages to come in the mail. We wait for family to arrive to celebrate with us. We wait to give or receive that special gift. We wait…and we wait….and we wait. Yes, it’s the season of waiting!

That’s what the season of “Advent” (which begins this coming Sunday) is about; it is meant to be a season of waiting. The word technically means, “arrival” or “appearance.”  It refers to the arrival or appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ both at his birth and at his second coming. Thus, the season of Advent is “…a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas as well as the return of Jesus at the second coming.” (Dictionary.com) During this time of the year, Christians are called to prepare themselves not just for the festivities of Christmas Day, but most of all for the worship of Christ on that day. And, they are called to prepare themselves for next arrival, for his return.  Throughout this season, there is meant to be within us and among us, a sense of waiting.

The old Latin hymn, “Veni Emanuel” (“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”) expressed this sense of waiting well.  The words to that song express the longing of Israel of old as they awaited their messiah during some very dark times in their history. And, the lyrics to that song speak of the longing of God’s people today as we await his return with great patience and expectation.  (See lyrics below.)

The Apostle Paul wrote, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”  The writer of Hebrews wrote, “He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.”  And, James wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.”

Let me ask you, what are you waiting for? Or better asked, whom are you waiting for?  During this Christmas Season—i.e. this season of Advent—let’s allow a sense of longing and expectancy to fill our hearts as we await both the day in which we will celebrate our Savior’s birth and the day on which we will welcome his return!  After all, this is the season of waiting!

Take a few minutes to read the words to the hymn below. May they help you as you wait!  Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris 

1 O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

2 O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

4 O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

5 O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain

6 O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

7 O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain 

Psalter Hymnal (Gray)