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13. Advent is a Waiting Journey

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There are often times in my daily life when I get stuck waiting. It always seems when I am in the biggest hurry to get somewhere that I hit bad traffic and I am stuck waiting. Or when I am sick and feeling horrible that I have to wait to get in to see the doctor. When my impatience wells up inside me wanting to burst out in frustration, I always take a deep breath and say a little prayer to thank God for teaching me patience. 

Then there are those good times when I am anxiously awaiting a date to arrive, such as the arrival of a new baby, or a celebration I am excited to attend, or a gathering of friends or family, or visitors coming to my house. I find myself once again saying a little prayer thanking God for teaching me patience, but adding a small request to make the time seem to go by quickly for me. As a child, the excitement of Christmas morning and gifts under the tree was certainly a lesson on waiting.

Advent is a waiting journey. During advent we reflect on Israel's waiting for the coming of the Messiah to save, forgive, and restore. They must have thought the day would never come! We are blessed to know how that waiting time came into being as a baby born in Bethlehem. 

In the here and now, we are waiting for the second coming of Jesus with hopeful hearts. “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. Jesus has a place prepared for us that sounds so wonderful and He will be there also! Wouldn’t it be great to skip all the troubles of this world and have Jesus come again today? Alas, we must wait as only God knows the time, and be patient, trusting Him.