Advent Reflection

Let's take a break from revolutionaries for now. We'll get to the really important revolutionaries after a little while.

Advent is a season of waiting. I have been trying (imperfectly and inconsistently) to get myself into a mindset of waiting during the past few weeks. Some apects of my life right now really help me to do that. I'm in that weird stretch of time between college and a real full time job (I have a feeling that those of us in our early 20s will all have a few years where things seem "unsettled"). I'm waiting for important things to happen. This helps me to wrap my mind around the idea of waiting.

On the other hand, we live in a culture where great masses of people have no desire and no great need to wait for anything. I don't need to wait to buy things. Credit cards, Google and Amazon make sure of that. If I have a desire for really delicious food, I can easily drive to the grocery store or make anything from scratch. For most people in the world today and throughout history, good food that goes beyond the bare essentials is a rare luxury that was worth waiting for. Many characteristics of our American culture try to distract us from times of waiting. Instant gratification is par for the course.

But we are called to wait.

During Advent, we remember the first coming of the One for whom God's people spent centuries waiting. We look back with great joy at the turning point in all human history.

During Advent, we prepare our hearts to grow in grace. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we turn aside from sin and darkness. We look to Jesus every day for our salvation. We put on the armor of light.

During Advent, we join with all creation and groan in eager expectation of the revealing of the sons of God. We wait for the second coming of our Savior. We live as citizens of the Kingdom of God in our everyday lives.

Advent is for the past, the present, the future. We wait with hope and with joy - knowing that He came and that He is coming again.