Waiting

I am sitting in the waiting area (aptly named) of the DMV office in Pomona while my daughter takes the written test for a driver’s license. I’m the father of three teenagers (although one, Nathan, turns 20 this week), so I am used to waiting. We wait a lot, don’t we? In fact, despite the busy-ness of our lives, we spend a LOT of time just waiting!

As a church, we are waiting for our sanctuary to be rebuilt. And we’ve only just begun to wait. As a culture, we are beginning a season of waiting in line, waiting at stop lights, waiting for the mall to change their Musak tape: ChristmasShoppingTide!

But the time spent waiting does not have to be wasted time. I’m writing my article for the Tidings on my laptop computer while waiting at the DMV. Sometimes, I take a book to read while waiting. Often I make phone calls. But sometimes I just take the opportunity to think and pray. The worse thing I could do is sit around and do nothing.

Advent is a time of waiting: Mary waiting for her child to be born, Simeon waiting for the Savior to come, angels rehearsing while waiting for the Good News of a Great Joy to be proclaimed, the world waiting for God to make right what humanity had messed up, little Johnny and Becky waiting for what Santa will bring them this year, a lot of waiting.

But let’s do our waiting right! During Advent, let us wait with expectation. Let us wait with anticipation. Let us ponder in our hearts what God is about to do, again for the first time. Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas. Let’s not jump into Christmas too quickly! I invite you to a holy waiting room.

Advent Blessings!