A Time of Advent

 

"I can't wait till Christmas break!"  Elliot announced grandly at the dinner meal.  

It was two days before Thanksgiving, and he was apparently looking ahead to the wonders of Christmas.  "I imagine you can wait," I said.

Vincent said seriously, "Dad, Elliot apparently doesn't understand the meaning of the word "can't."  It doesn't mean that you don't want to do something.  It means that you are not able to do it."

"True," I said.

"Not only is Elliot able to wait for Christmas break," Vincent continued.  "He is going to have to, unless he invents a time machine."

"I'd say that's a very accurate assessment of the current situation," I said.  "Elliot is commenting on his lack of patience, not his possession of a time machine."

Elliot responded by screwing up his face into a Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes fame) like grimace, indicating a lack of patience with his family's annoying analysis.

We have entered the time of Advent.  Advent is the four weeks before Christmas.  It is a time of looking forward, but also of looking inward.  Unlike the town of Bethlehem which was totally unprepared for Jesus' arrival, we want our hearts to be ready for the coming of our Savior.

It is a time of learning patience.  It is a time of preparation.  Most of all, it should be a time of hope and excitement.  The silence has been broken and God's living Word was made flesh and dwelled among us and we beheld His glory as of the glory of the only begotten of the Father.

I pray that we might learn these things and still our hearts.

There is a lot of shopping.  There are many meals and gatherings to attend.  There are Christmas cards to get and mail off (hopefully everyone has enough stamps).

In the midst of this, take a few moments to wait patiently on the coming of Jesus.

Advent shouldn't be something we simply endure.  It should turn our hearts upward and help them to learn patience and even Joy for the amazing gift we have been given.