Wait…Wait…Wait…
My dog hates that trick; I put the treat in front of her face and tell her to “Wait.” She is very anxious so she starts to shake. Sometimes, she tries to get the treat early, but I grab it before she does.
To be fair, humans are not that much different; we are impatient beings. We want our money and want it now, we want our food freaky fast, we want to do it with just one click. In my experience, speed comes at a cost– sometimes it is extra unhealthy carbs, high interest rates, or not reading the fine print.
In our impatience, we expect God to work for us now, freaky fast and with just one click (or one prayer in this case). However, that is not how God works, just ask Abraham. God promised him a son with his infertile wife, Sarah. However, Abraham’s impatience got the best of him so he decided to have a son with Sarah’s servant; they name him Ishmael. Nonetheless, God did keep his promise and Sarah had a son called Isaac, whose son (Jacob) was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. However, there was tension between Sarah, her servant and their sons; Abraham had to send Ishmael and his mom away. It is interesting to note that the Islam faith points to Ishmael as the ancestor to Muhammad (the founder of Islam). If true, there is still tensions between the descendants of Isaac and the descendants of Ishmael, all because Abraham didn’t wait.
In the same way, God made the Jewish people wait for the Messiah. The Old Testament points to the coming of the Messiah. However, these prophets lived hundreds of years before Christ. In fact, 400 years passed from the last prophesy of Christ to his coming (it was a time of silence).
We are currently on the last days of Advent. The Season of Advent is the waiting before the coming of Christ. Luckily for us we know that He came, defeated death and gifted us salvation.
However, can you imagine God’s people from the Old Testament (the B.C times) that were told “wait…wait…wait” for hundreds of years? So, why does God make us wait?
Well, let’s look at the time Jesus came. Many theologians have pointed out that Jesus came at a pivotal moment in history. Rome controlled most of the civilized world, it had built roads making it much safer to travel between countries, and both the Romans and Jews were particular good at keeping records. If Jesus had come earlier, the Gospel might have not spread as fast.
My husband and I had are currently struggling with a problem that is taking a toll on us, I am not happy about it, but I have resolved that this Advent -The season of Waiting- to wait and be patient.
I don’t know what your struggles are in life; however, I encourage you in the last days of Advent and during Christmas to meditate on waiting. God knows the whole picture; he doesn’t want your impatience to cost you your treat, or to sacrifice your spiritual health in lieu of speed.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:13-14
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8
Love,
Milo
