What are you waiting for?
I, along with thousands of other college students, am currently waiting for the next two weeks to be past. The semester is coming to a end and the stress is everywhere, between exams, papers, shopping, and holiday plans. To say it's a busy time of year would be a gross understatement.
Waiting rarely involves simply sitting around until something happens though. Think about something you've had to wait for. What did that process look like? Anticipation? Fear? Impatience? Excitement? Depending on what you're waiting for, there can be quite a variety of emotions involved.
To narrow it down, think about something that you specifically were eager about, but had to wait for. The first thing that comes to my mind is our family's annual beach trip. Every year we spend a week at the beach, the only part of the year that everyone is on vacation together for any extended amount of time. From the moment everyone arrives home after leaving to the day we return the next year, every one of us is looking forward to that week. In fact, I am already excited about it now, even though I have over eight months more to wait.
My anticipation of that week invokes a number of different feelings. I get impatient knowing that it will be quite a long time before I no longer have to wait anymore. I am excited thinking about the fun I expect to have. There is even a calming effect, knowing that although I have so long to wait, I will have an entire to week to relax and unwind. My anticipation of that week makes me long for the months to pass quickly so it will be here sooner.
One of the things that I love so much about the Christmas season is Advent itself. Looking forward to Christmas Day is very exiting for me. As I was reminded recently, we not only anticipate the celebration of Christ's coming to our world, but we also eagerly await His return. When we consider that as well, there is even more reason to be excited. Awaiting Christ should not be something we do in a nonchalant manner. His coming is appropriately viewed with uncontainable joy and excitement. If we so frequently find ourselves impatient waiting for things in this world, how much great should our yearning for Him be!
This has always been one of my favorite songs of the season, and the lyrics could not more accurately portray our desire during Advent.
Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Born thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne
~Charles Wesley
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