From the Pulpit: Worth the wait

First to order… First in line… Pre-order yours today… Beat that red light…

We live in a fast-paced, instant gratification society. We don’t have the patience to wait: for a food order, on hold on a phone call, for the latest iPhone to hit the market. I am just as guilty as anyone. There’s a reason patience is a fruit of the Spirit; I do not come by it naturally. 

Yet, this is a season of waiting. In our Lutheran tradition at Blessed Redeemer, we have not begun celebrating Christmas. We are still waiting – waiting to celebrate, waiting to sing those Christmas songs, waiting because it’s not until Christmas that Christ is born. Instead, we spend four weeks in a season we call “Advent,” a word meaning “coming.” It’s a reminder Christ is not yet here. For now, we wait.

We do not like to wait. It slows production, conveys inefficiency, steals our precious time. But waiting can be beneficial in the right circumstances. Take your time to get that second opinion. Do not rush into a major decision. It’s not prudent to get into an argument when your emotions are heightened. You can wait. In fact, you should wait.

Admittedly, waiting from the standpoint of faith is somewhat different than our daily lives. First, it is prolonged. We know Christ already came at that first Christmas a couple millennia ago. Advent partially directs our attention to that day when Christ will return, when all our waiting will be done, when everything around us may pass away but the promise of eternity will be fulfilled. That day could be soon… or it could be a long time from now. As we wait, we also do so with assurance. There is no ambiguity about what’s to come, unlike the amount of snow we expect within a week, this month, this season. We know who’s coming we await as well as what it means for us.

Take a moment to ponder. Savor the season. Don’t rush. Let these next four weeks stand on their own as they prepare your heart and mind for what we need: peace, hope, forgiveness, relief. All of those are found – and realized – in Jesus. He’s worth the wait.

As Angels Sing,

Pastor Andrew Ratcliffe