Parson to Person

WAIT!!!!!!

I remembering hearing years ago, that America's favorite pastime was waiting. It must be because we are constantly waiting. We wait in lines to get our coffee, our food, our ticket for the movie. We wait for the pandemic to be over. We wait for our spouse, we wait for our kids, we wait for a date.

We wait.

How appropriate for this season? The holiday (aka holy day) season that begins with Advent, leads us to Christmas, and on to Epiphany, is a time of waiting.

I know, the secular world does not seem to be waiting. Everything seems to be rush, hurry, rush, oh, and don't forget to breathe.

Yet in the Christian calendar, the season of Advent is a season of preparation and waiting; waiting for the Christ, God's savior to come into the world. We wait with excited anticipation for what is to come, the babe born in a stable and placed in a manger.

We wait for God to be with us, Emmanuel. These are events we're waiting for, but we get caught up in the rush around us.

We get frustrated and angry when people move slow or seem to 'waste” time. Next time you find yourself in this situation, use it to pray. Take deep breaths and ask God's guidance. It could be that you are being placed in a time and place to be a messenger or angel of God and share the good news that is coming with Christmas Day - not presents and gifts, but that God entered into the world and made salvation available for each us.