Waiting can be difficult. We’ve all experienced delays where our internal clock begins to tick telling us the outcome should come sooner rather than later. Or when things feel beyond our control and we’re at the mercy of someone else. Waiting is also hard when you are going through a season of seemingly unending pain. We can sympathize with psalmist who asked, “how long, Oh Lord?”.

As we approach the Christmas season we are approaching a season of waiting. We call it advent. Advent means coming. In one sense it’s a time of reflection. It’s a time to slow down and remember that the Savior of the world, God himself, was born as a human baby. We remember the humble circumstances of his birth and worship with amazement the lengths our God went to save the world.

Advent is also a season that looks forward to Jesus’ second coming where all the work that his first coming accomplished is fully realized. It reminds us that we are all waiting. Once this waiting is realized all our difficult waits will be over. There will be no more internal time clocks or seasons of sufferings. We will be fully at ease seeing Jesus’ full control exercised over all his creation.

This Christmas season we are launching into a series titled Waiting. This series will encourage us to shift our focus from the waits of this life to Jesus, the one whose return we eagerly await. So, come, bring friends, and be encouraged this Christmas season.