Advent Day Eight

Advent traditionally means “Coming”, which for some people implies the idea of “Waiting”.  I don’t know about you, but I hate waiting.  It seems like we are always waiting for something- a spouse to get ready for church, a doctor’s visit, the light to turn green, the test results to come in, etc. We are not good at waiting. We really don’t know how to wait well for something that is coming. We do our best to cover times of waiting with the distractions around us- mainly our phones.  While we don’t wait, we whittle away on our phones checking urgent and updated information- email, text, news, sports, feeds, social, etc.  Let’s just be honest with ourselves and say that we really don’t know how to wait and don’t want to wait.

But Isaiah 40:31 says that those who WAIT on the LORD will be renewed.  In fact, if we can learn how to wait well, we will mount up with wings like eagles (pretty amazing) and run without getting tired and walk without fainting.  So, is waiting worth it? Yes. So why don’t we wait well? Maybe we have forgotten the promise of God and the offer of renewal in the waiting.

Try it today. I dare you. I double dog dare you.  What would it look like for you to wait well today? Put down the phone. Sit in silence. Stop for 60 seconds. Listen to the surrounding noises. Embrace silence or solitude. Rest. Renew. Maybe waiting will become a form of “weight-less-ness” in the hectic schedule of today and become a Re-NEW-ing of your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  He is Coming. He is Advent. Will we Wait Well?