ADVENT PRAYER—Waiting
John A. Jones IV,
Associate Regional Minister-Education
I ran into a friend at Target the other day. She was pregnant, 7 days past the due date. I tried to be encouraging, but it was more in spirit than in words, because I know how hard it is to wait, especially for something so wonderful and precious. I also know that I don’t know what it feels like to be 9+ months pregnant. So I kept my words to a minimum.
Advent is the season of the church that encourages us to embrace the counter-cultural practice of waiting. In the midst of a busy holiday schedule and the demands of modern life, waiting is an act of faith. We don’t know when or how, but we know that something precious, a gift from God, is on the way.
Waiting might seem unproductive. But with the eyes of faith, people of faith know that the gift of inspiration is coming. We just don’t know when or how.
Perhaps you find yourself waiting, whether for good news like the birth of a child, for medical test results to help you know what your future looks like, or for the slow process of healing. Waiting is a thoroughly human experience that reminds us of God’s sovereignty and goodness. Inspiration is coming.
This Advent season, try to pay attention to the process of waiting. What can it teach us about God and about ourselves?