 |
|
Patiently Waiting, Watching and Hoping
|
14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation...
--2 Peter 3:1-18 (vs. 14-15a)
|
|
One of the most exciting times of the year for our family is the Advent season leading up to
Christmas. Getting out the tree (usually the day after Thanksgiving), decorating it, setting up the nativity scene, hanging up the Advent calendar and decorating the house for the holidays is very exciting. It is truly special because this season only comes once a year; and with it comes the knowledge that there is going to be a lot of celebrating throughout the month as we count down the days to Christmas and celebrate the joyous birth of our Savior. No one can deny the fact that our kids are also very excited about the fun of Christmas morning!
Being patient during this special time can be difficult, especially for our children. Starting at a very young age, our kids were made aware that the Advent season is a time of great excitement and anticipation - but also one of waiting, which can be a challenging exercise in patience, especially for a young (or even teenaged!) child. I must admit that my own patience is often worn thin by all of the extra duties and obligations that must be attended to at this time of year. There seems to be SO much that needs preparation: the house, the gift shopping, the wrapping, the cards, collecting for charity, school rehearsals for concerts and then the concerts themselves, parties, dinners and special events - the list goes on and on. As a teacher, I am busy preparing my semester exams as well as readying my students for taking them so they can be successful. In truth, I often find myself frazzled and exhausted and wishing for the whole month to hurry up and just be over with so life can go back to "normal."
As I read through the scripture passage for this devotion, I tried to focus on Peter's words and to really listen to what he is saying. In this scripture, he is speaking of the return of Christ when the world as we know it, is over and done with. He is reminding his audience that that day will come and that we must live righteous lives - lives that align with God's will - while we are patiently waiting. Really letting this verse sink in has resulted in a feeling of reassurance and hope. The reassurance that all the worries and stresses that I experience during the holidays are human-made and not at all what God wants for us during the Advent season - or at any time, for that matter. And the hope for the future that we can be assured of in Christ's birth. Without his birth, we cannot experience His crucifixion, His resurrection and His eventual return to save the world from sin.
What God desires for us during the Advent season is hopeful anticipation of Christ's birth, just like Peter is describing when he talks of waiting patiently and hopefully for the return of Christ when the world will end. Advent is meant to give our hearts and minds time to reflect on Christ and what it means to live our lives in a Christ-like way. As a family, we have always chosen to participate in Epiphany's Adopt-a-Family ministry during the Advent season. As soon as the names and ages of the families are released, our children help us select a family to "adopt" for the holidays. Being able to offer a bit of extra joy and hope to a family that is less fortunate than ours brings us a great sense of purpose and reminds us of what is truly important. It is a very tangible way to feel like we are making a difference in someone else's life. And it demonstrates to our children that Christmas is about much, much more than receiving lots of presents on Christmas morning.
|
|
Prayer:
Dear Lord, please grant me patience during the Advent season as I joyfully anticipate the birth of your son Jesus. Let me keep all the "hassles" of this worldly life in perspective and not become overwhelmed by them. Let me instead focus on you and your will for my life. Open my heart to the needs of others, especially those less fortunate. Please give them hope at Christmas and also in the coming year. In Jesus' name, Amen.
|
Monday, December 3, 2018
Pick up a few extra items during your grocery trip to donate for Adopt-A-Family dinners.
|
If you would like to invite a friend or family member to receive Epiphany's Daily Advent Devotions via email, forward this email and have them
click here to sign up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
