Monday, November 30, 2009

Waiting? What are we waiting for?

What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the One who is to come? What is it that you are looking for? These days we are waiting for so much and seemingly getting so little. Many are worried about their pensions and their incomes. More are waiting for some other kind of news: like when a loved one who is serving in the Armed Forces is coming home. Perhaps it is someone who is waiting for news of what action the government is going to take in light of the injustice they have suffered. Probably someone is waiting for the news of test results from their doctor because Cancer is suspected or some kind of surgery is needed. Maybe there is a student who is waiting for the news of results of an exam or a report card and is worried about the outcomes. Maybe it is a husband waiting for the wife to give him the news that it is time to rush to the hospital for their child to be born. What news are you waiting for.


The disciples have asked what news will come to know that the end of the world is about to happen – if the Temple is going to be destroyed (again) then surely God is going to bring the world to an end. Right? If there is a moment in the life of the world where we as the Church can be countercultural – it must be now. Everybody is getting ready for Christmas and the holidays. Even clergy are making their plans to be with family and to do things here and there. And yet we are called on by Scripture to be thinking about the end of the world. After all, what is more counter to the ways in which we celebrate Christmas, than having to worry about the world coming to an end?

There is a stark reality that we have to come to terms with. For a long time we have lived with the notion that things must be improving in the grader scheme and that life is going to keep getting better. Sure, there are new technologies, new devices, new medications, and even new ways of doing report cards that are design to help us feel better, live longer and have a healthy positive opinion about ourselves. Nobody dies and no one fails. We simple pass on or pass away. The world was and the world remains pretty much the same as it has always been. There are wars and rumours of wars. There are crops being eaten by drought and people stealing from one another and killing one another. People are still ensnaring and enslaving one another through one means or another. People are still sick and dying in spite of the best efforts of those who care for others. The world will stay the same until Christ comes again.

Sounds a bit depressing? Maybe. And yet there is hope in all of this for those who are willing to believe and are willing to wait on Jesus. Jesus encourages those will believe and who follow him to stand up and look up (at Him!) and acknowledge that our redemption is coming from God. Everybody has a vision – and claims to see. We as the body of Christ and as the people of God are called to stand up and to look up, focusing ourselves on God because our redemption is drawing near. When we find ourselves suffering and in pain, when we are feeling hurt and confused we are called on to look up. We are waiting on Christ not just for him. We await that moment when we will be finally and fully free and free to serve God and one another.

So when the world seems unyielding and unforgiving look up. Don’t act as if we are hung over as if we had been partying all night. Don’t look down trodden and defeated as if we have lost our last and best friend. These things are not becoming of a person of hope and who is waiting on the coming of the King. And don’t let the worries of the world/the Empire weigh you down so that you are not caught unawares. Let us focus on whatever it is that God has given to be done and in the doing and going look up in anticipation of the King’s presence among us. In his presence, we will not only know our freedom we will also know life and be able to fully live in His service. That will be worth waiting on. Let us do so in this week; in this Advent, in Jesus name.

No comments:

Post a Comment