Advent: Waiting and Wondering

When I say the word “waiting,” what associations do you make? The DMV? Disney World? Apple Customer Service? An apology from your spouse!?

Waiting isn’t fun. This has become glaringly apparent as the months of the pandemic have dragged on. Waiting has become our new normal. Waiting in line at Trader Joe’s or Walmart. Waiting until the day when we can hug and kiss our friends and family (and strangers, at this point!). Waiting for a vaccine.

All this practice we have had at waiting should make this one of our best Advents yet.

Advent is all about waiting. Waiting in joyful hope and anticipation. But what exactly are we waiting for? The light at the end of the COVID tunnel is straightforward and concrete. An end to the pandemic. What is the light at the end of Advent? What do we joyfully anticipate?

The birth of a baby, but not just any baby. The birth of Jesus. One commentary I was reading described the birth of Jesus as a “visitation from God.” God wants to come for a visit and is doing so through the incarnation of his Son.

What does a visit from God look like to you? Are you ready to receive Him? To receive the transforming love that is God? How do you need to prepare for that visit?

That is the beauty in God’s timing. He gives us this time of waiting to prepare ourselves to accept the love that is symbolized in the manger in Bethlehem.

What is it about God’s love that we need time to prepare for it?

A lot of questions in this blog and no answers. At least not yet.

And so, we wait…and wonder.

Joan