Advent Waiting

There’s more than one kind of waiting in this world. And one of my favourites is what I’ll call Advent Waiting.

There’s the kind of irksome waiting that feels like a waste of time:

Standing in line at the driver’s license office.

Stuck behind a dozen people with full shopping carts at the check-out line.

Stopped dead in traffic.

And there’s waiting that puts a knot in your stomach:

Expecting test results from the doctor.

Listening for your teenager to come home, way after curfew.

Hearing rumors of layoffs at your job.


In our organized society, where what we plan on usually occurs, we wait for many things with happy anticipation. Things like homecomings of loved ones, the arrival of a new baby, or a fun night out with friends. But in December, Christians can experience another type of waiting. Advent Waiting.


As Christians, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during a period of waiting known as Advent. The Latin root of the word “Advent” means “coming.” For four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we embrace both the longing and hope for the arrival of our Savior.


known as Advent. The Latin root of the word “Advent” means “coming.” For four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we embrace both the longing and hope for the arrival of our Saviour.


Biblical hope differs from optimism because it is grounded in a real, living person, rather than solely relying on the improvement of our circumstances at the moment. Our Biblical heroes chose hope in God even when they could not easily see a resolution to the challenges in their lives. They looked back to God’s faithfulness to find hope. Biblical hope stands apart from mere optimism because it is rooted in a real living person, not in the enhancement of your current circumstances. Our Biblical heroes chose to place their hope in God even when a resolution to their challenges was not readily apparent. They reflected on God’s faithfulness to nurture their hope.


The biblical concept of hope takes another leap in the New Testament. Believers in Jesus’s time hoped in a person, too, but now that person is the Christ Child. In Christ, the word hope becomes global. It’s not just about hope for you personally or for your community; it’s new “living hope” in a resurrected Christ—not only for daily sustenance but for a renewal that affects all of creation, everything on earth. about having a 


That means having a vision beyond your own skin-and-bones body and backyard. It means believing that with God’s strength, you can change much more than your circumstantial situation. That is Advent waiting.


Blessing 

Rev. Kim

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