I’m not very good at waiting- or sitting still for that matter. If you call me on the phone, I usually have to stand up and pace around while we talk. But there is nothing like having to “hurry up and wait” for something to happen. I think most of us don’t like to wait. It feels like we’re wasting time or missing out on something.

This advent, I’ve been struck by how often the Bible tells us to wait. Jeremiah 3:26 tells us that “it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” The Psalms are filled with encouragements to wait on The LORD. The most common examples of waiting in the Old Testament were to wait for things that are expected and hoped for. 

Where I might think of waiting as a waste of time- the Bible talks about waiting as in preparing for something that is promised and hoped for. In the Old Testament- the people of God are waiting for a Savior, a Redeemer- the promised One of God who will establish God’s everlasting kingdom. In the New Testament- we see the results of waiting- and that is the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the promised One who has come to redeem creation.

This advent- what are we waiting for? For one, we are to be waiting for the promised return of Jesus when God’s Kingdom will be established on earth as it is in heaven. While we journey through Advent to prepare for Christmas- Advent reminds us that we are still waiting- and that waiting is active rather passive. We have a mission and a purpose during our period of waiting. We are to be sure that we have surrendered our lives to God- and that we are helping others prepare in anticipation and expectation for the return of Jesus.

What are you waiting for? How are you waiting? Does your life reflect hopeful anticipation of the return of Jesus?