Waiting (by Cathe Laurie)

“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44 ESV).

Alright, friends. . . the Christmas season is officially upon us. The halls are decked, the lights are up, the tree is standing (slightly crooked because we’re pretending that’s “charming”), and the countdown is on.

But let’s get real for a moment—Christmas isn’t just about perfect gifts or Pinterest-worthy wrapping paper. Advent is supposed to be something deeper. It’s a season of anticipation. And not for what’s under the tree, but for Who came to save us from all the chaos we’ve wrapped ourselves in.

The Christmas story sounds so quaint and cozy when we share it each year. Just picture all the kids’ pageants with the tiny shepherds, little Mary and Joseph with their baby doll Jesus, and all the adorable sheep and cows dressed up in the manger on stage.

Honestly, though it’s fun and sweet, it feels so separated from our reality 2,000+ years later. The stable has been replaced by luxurious hotels and our most comfortable beds and sheets. The swaddling clothes have been replaced by specially chosen Christmas linens and fancy church outfits. The star that led the shepherds has been overshadowed by the thousand lights on our tree and house.

Advent: A Season of Waiting

At its core, the Advent season is a season of waiting. Waiting for the arrival of Christ. Nowadays, it feels more like a checklist rather than a time of waiting…especially when we can get anything delivered from Amazon almost instantly!

So, let’s go back to that first Christmas, the first Advent. Imagine what it must have been like in the spiritual realm in the months, even years, leading up to Jesus’ birth.

They knew that Jesus was coming to Earth to save us and change the trajectory of our lives. Even the world, having been created by God, held its breath as it waited.  

The buildup. The excitement. The anticipation. The Advent season.

They waited expectantly. . . and now we wait again.

Jesus’ story didn’t end at the end of the Gospels; we’re still in the middle of the story. Jesus is coming again (see Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 21:25-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)!

We get to celebrate Jesus’ birth 2,000 years later, but we are still waiting for His second grand arrival. We are living through the next Advent season. Do you feel the anticipation?

The world, the angels, every being in the spiritual realm wait again…and we should, too. 

This month, let’s remember to wait on the One who saved us, the One who came to Earth and will come again, the One who is going to one day bring us into our eternal home. Just as they did 2,000 years ago, we prepare with expectation for the coming of Jesus.

Over the next few weeks, let’s celebrate all He’s done for us and what He is still preparing to do. Amidst the last-minute shopping and topping the tree, let’s pause for a moment and wait in this Advent season with eager anticipation for all that He is doing and all that’s to come.

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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.