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Advent: Waiting Hopefully, or Rushing Frantically?

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5:7-8 (NLT)

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness… 2 Pet. 3:9 (NIV)

Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. Isa. 30:18 (ESV)

Heavenly Father, the Advent theme of “waiting” confronts me in every context of life. Why am I in such a hurry? Why the rush? At just the right time, you sent Jesus. Not a day too early, and not a day late. It will be the same with Jesus’ second coming.But as for me, cars in front of me cannot move fast enough. FedEx, UPS, and mail can’t be delivered quick enough. Restaurants can’t serve me soon enough and Wi-Fi can’t be speedy enough. Worse, people can’t make their point soon enough.

I repent. Early in this season of Advent, I want to recalibrate my heart, that I might live and love at the pace of grace. Free me of my busy, cluttered, in too-much-of-a-hurry self. According to you, the only thing that counts is “faith expressing itself in love” (Gal. 5:6), not impatience expressing itself in irritability. May my “to love list” supersede my “to do list,” a thousand-fold.

Father, thank you for not being in a hurry. Thank you for waiting to be gracious to us. Thank you for not being slow about your promises. Thank you for being patient with my impatience. I lament my busyness and repent of my hurriedness. I purpose to slow down—look, listen, and linger in the presence and beauty of Jesus. Oh, come let us adore Him, indeed. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ wonderful and merciful and name.

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