From the Pulpit: The waiting is the hardest part
Every year my wife shares video she took from the passenger seat of our minivan when my sons were in car seats. She is filming them watching a scene from the Christmas movie classic, Elf. Buddy is testing Jack in the Boxes at the North Pole. Every year, I watch it at least six times. Their faces express the anticipation for what is certainly a signature moment for Will Farrell’s acting career.
Anticipation. There is nothing like it.
Have you ever been waiting for something for so long that you gave up hope it would ever arrive? Or even just forgotten that it’s on the way? Or maybe even not known it was coming?
In 2015, the Washington Post published a story about a man who received a letter from his now deceased father who had written and sent to him 14 years earlier. In 2001, the father was living in India. After the terror attacks on America, he wrote a letter to his son, who lived in New York City. The man was flooded with a deep reminder and sense of connection to his late father. Tears flooded his eyes as he held a physical object created by his father, expressing concerns about his son’s and grandchildren’s safety and about the events of the world in that tragic time. In the article, the son wrote, “Fourteen years is a long time to wait for a letter, but rarely has one been more welcome. The expression of concern in the letter is sadly still relevant today. But the physical letter itself was a real joy.”
Certainly, an unexpected joy. One that was on its way the whole time. The letter would have been meaningful had it arrived on time, but it took on even deeper emotions over time.
Joy can be that way, whether we know it’s coming or not, whether we’ve given hope for its arrival or not.
The people of Israel were waiting for a Messiah for thousands of years. That’s a long wait!
Certainly, some of those Israelites gave up hope that a Messiah would ever come. Some probably just carried on, distracted with life, not thinking they would ever see the coming of the Messiah. But others held out hope.
Joy is similar. Even when we don’t feel joy right now, we can anticipate the coming of joy to the world in the gift of Jesus. We can prepare to move from our state of discouragement or oblivion into an experience of life-giving joy.
The shepherds in the Christmas story are a good example. When the angels showed up and delivered a message to the shepherds on a hillside outside Bethlehem, the shepherds didn’t immediately feel joy—they felt scared! Luke tells us, “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord’” Luke 2:10-11
When one hears the Good News, we are compelled to respond and pass it on. Like, share and comment this year on the greatest story every told. We see the shepherds going to seek the savior, after which they go and tell everyone.
