Waiting on the Lord is one of our human flaws. Waiting, in general, is a major flaw for most of us. We live a results-oriented existence. I know one of my most significant weaknesses is impatience. My impatience falls into two categories: delayed scheduling and delayed gratification. When I go to the trouble to schedule an event, like a meeting or appointment with someone, I expect them to be on time. Although I try not to display my impatience, it is there. The second is more challenging for me to disguise: delayed gratification. I did what I said I would do when I said I would do it, so where are the results? Quid pro quo, give and take, action and reaction: this isn’t rocket science.
ISRAEL’S WAIT
Around Christmas time, we are reminded of the value of patience. The Book of Isaiah, written around 739-680 BC, speaks of a virgin giving birth to a child and foretells the birth of a child who will be called the “Prince of Peace” and whose government will have no end. Micah, written around the same time, 735 – 700 BC, talks about one born in Bethlehem who will be a ruler over Israel. The Israelites waited 700 years before these prophecies came to be.
Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Micah 5:2, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
SIMEON’S WAIT
Simeon waited on the Lord his whole life before seeing the coming of the Savior. Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit came to Simeon to announce that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. The Bible tells us that Simeon was old when he encountered Jesus. Simeon faithfully waited his entire life for the consolation of Israel.
Luke 2: 25-26, "Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah."
MARY’S WAIT
Think of Mary; as a teenager, she knew her son would be the Messiah. Her son, born in a manger, would be King of Israel but could not care for himself and depended on her for his development. She watched him for thirty years before he revealed himself to the world. How many sleepless nights did she lie awake, wondering if what she remembered was real? Did she hear the promise correctly?
Luke 1:26-28, "In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel approached her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
OUR WAIT
When I sit in a doctor’s waiting room, impatient for my appointment, do I grasp the historical relevance of waiting on the Lord? Does every moment of my life fall within the providence of the Lord? When I pray in my time of need, do I put that prayer into the perspective of God’s timing? Does instant gratification of my needs overshadow the dominion of the God I serve? Christmas is not just about celebrating the birth of our Savior; it is about the experience of waiting for God’s revelation.
“To prepare our hearts for Christmas, we must cultivate the spirit of expectancy.” – Handel H. Brown.
It was thirty years before Christ said the time has come. Even then, people did not believe because they had lost hope during the wait. Their chance at salvation came and went without their knowledge.
Mark 1:14-15, "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
When things don’t happen on our schedule, do we rely on Christ? Do we have the confidence to believe that Christ will meet our needs in His time? Children get a sense of that anticipation every Christmas Eve as they wait on daybreak. Do you experience the same emotional high when waiting on Christ?
Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men."
“The great challenge left to us is to cut through all the glitz and glam of the season that has grown increasingly secular and commercial, and be reminded of the beauty of the One who is Christmas.” — Bill Crowder.
