Waiting: An Act of Love

Surely I am coming soon.
Revelation 22:20

These are some of the last words written down in our Holy Scriptures. They are a fitting way for us to enter into Advent, as Advent is a season of waiting and expectation. And we only wait for the things yet to be realized, things for which we long. As our spiritual mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers before us, we continue this tradition for it is the way of the people of God. We wait, but not without hope. Surely I am coming soon.

We may desire the Lord to speed up his watch, or to count time as we do. If he would do so, then "soon" would mean exactly that, soon. He would not have waited this long. (But if he had not waited this long, where would you and I be? Would we even be here?)

Waiting can be such a trying activity, at least for many Westerners. (Our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world know what it is to wait, to be patient, even in the midst of trying, even dangerous, times.) Why we wait is just as important as that we wait. For an honest waiting is a confession of faith. (Who waits for that which they know will never come to fruition?) But why we wait says a great deal about us. It may certainly be–it should be part of the package–that we wait for Jesus because he is "our only hope in life and death." It should be that we wait for him for he instructed us to do so. But our life with Jesus–his Father, and the Spirit as well–is not one that is merely perfunctory.

So as we enter into this Advent season in a few short days, let our waiting be this: may it be our act of love for Jesus. We wait because we love.

– Matthew+