“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” (James 5:7)
This is the season of waiting. This coming Sunday is the first week of Advent, a time when we celebrate and honor the waiting that happened 2,000 years ago and the waiting that we do today.
The Jewish people were waiting for the fulfillment of a prophecy that was given hundreds of years before by Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
Immanuel means “God with us.” And some 700-plus years after that prophecy, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God.
Can you imagine waiting hundreds of years for something? Generation after generation, passing down to our children and grandchildren the stories and prophecies that we read in the Old Testament today? Waiting and waiting…
It may seem unimaginable, but isn’t that what we’re doing today?
Waiting on God today
Whether it’s prayers for health, financial stability, or our relationships, we are often waiting on God to bring answers, healing, and comfort. We are also waiting on the fulfillment of a prophecy, much as the Jewish people were all those years ago.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)
I admit that on a daily basis, I am not thinking of the second coming of Jesus. My thoughts veer more toward the immediate concerns and minutiae of everyday life. And I wonder if the people so long ago did the same.
Were they so caught up in their lives that they lost sight of what was coming? Did the waiting dull their expectation?
I hope not. I hope it’s not that way for us either.
As we start the Advent season, let’s remember that this is the season for celebrating not just the birth of Jesus, but the fulfillment of a very long wait.
One day, our wait will be over, too. Prayer requests will be answered, hopes satisfied, and peace restored. One day, Jesus will come again and fulfill the final prophecy.
God’s plan and promises are always kept. Let’s hold that truth close as we enter this holiday time of waiting.
Have a blessed day!
Preparing for Advent? Check out these Advent series from past years:
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