The Tenses of Waiting. Advent Week 1

Well, Thanksgiving is behind us. Welcome to December. Cue the Christmas music(finally), decorating, shopping, family gathering planning, and other festivities. Ho Ho Ho! Did you remember to buy firewood and Hot Cocoa mix?

In my last entry, I spoke of a new season I’m entering into. Part of what’s been happening is I have been rediscovering things of Spiritual significance in my own heart. One of the things I’ve come across is something we did when I was growing up in the Methodist church – Advent.

Christmas and the accompanying season are so much more than just a remembrance of the past, although that is how so many people see it. It is the hope of the promise. He came, He is here with us now, and He is coming again.

—Michael, what the heck are you talking about? Now you’re just plain confusing. I’m gonna need more hot cocoa before I read any more—

Ok stick with me. We’re getting somewhere.

He came. Baby in a manger. Turned water into wine. Healed the sick, raised the dead. Died on the cross, rose again.

He is here. He didn’t stay dead.  We accept His salvation and His love poured out for us. He walks with us through life. He sends His Spirit to live in us.

He is coming again. Now this, THIS is the kicker. Just as the world was drenched in darkness and pain before His first coming, so it is now. And He will come back, and we will be with Him for eternity.

This is the hope of the promise. He is with us. He is coming again. He is coming soon. Do we even want Him to come back? Are we preparing for that? How do we prepare?

And this, in my opinion, is the whole point of Advent. Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Messiah, we invite Him to be present with us, and prepare ourselves and our world for His return.

So as we begin this month, and this series of entries, let’s start with expectancy. Of what? Be expectant that just as He came, He is here now. He will show up in whatever you’re walking through (if you let him), and He will come again.

“Come, Lord Jesus, Come.”