Advent theme: Waiting
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! ”
Waiting is a common theme throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. In Genesis, Abram and Sarai had to wait until their old age for the fulfillment of the promise of progeny. Exodus describes the suffering of the People of Israel waiting for freedom while in slavery. Later, God’s chosen people would wait for freedom from exile while under the thumb of the Babylonians.
The beginning of the gospels of Matthew and Luke offers the story of waiting for the coming of the newborn King. Anyone who has ever been a parent knows the anxieties of waiting for your child to come into your life. Whether you are waiting to go into labor, get an adoption call, or experience the long wait through the fertility process, you know the countless feelings that go along with Advent waiting.
Experiencing Advent waiting through personal memory or empathetic expression of Mary and Joseph brings more profound meaning to the first season of the Church year. Biblical waiting isn’t lazy. Anxiety filled Mary and Joseph amid a journey far from home. Ancient, unassisted births were dangerous. With no midwife or other support, it must have felt dire. Mary and Joseph illustrate that waiting is never easy or simplistic. They felt the reasoned fear of hardship while holding the hope and joy of knowing they would soon embrace their little one.
We, too, know many of the same emotions. You may not have been on a donkey ride through the Middle Eastern wilderness when your baby was born, but you still know the numerous feelings of joyous anxiety as a little one started coming into the world. Several times yearly, there are pivotal moments when the waiting closes and transition occurs. In your waiting, prayerfully trust God to reduce anxiety and provide new blessings. In your most troubling moments, know that you are not alone. God will walk you through the unfair aspects of the journey and bring you safely to your promised destination. Our faith and the Spirit’s care strengthen us to wait until God is with us!
