Waiting

O come, O come, great Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times once gave the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

"'Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,' says the Lord Almighty" (Malachi 3:1).

We know December as a time of waiting. Waiting for Christmas. Waiting to see what is under those presents so beautifully wrapped under the tree. Waiting for the next party, the next event, the next family gathering. (I heard today about someone who has so many family gatherings that they are still finishing up Thanksgiving!) Waiting for it ALL TO BE OVER. We wait, just like we're supposed to during Advent...but are we waiting for the right things?

In the days of King Herod, in the days leading up to the MAIN EVENT in Bethlehem, people were waiting, but not for gifts or tinsel or holly or the next big dinner. They were waiting for something only God could give, something God had promised centuries ago. Some say the anticipation had reached a fever pitch in the first century, but it's really hard to say how much the average Joseph was really looking for the savior. Those who studied the Scriptures knew that God himself had promised to come, but they had no real idea how that would happen. So they speculated, they guessed, they devised ideas and schemes and plans. One group said it would happen this way. Another group said it would happen this other way.

And who was right?

No one. Pretty much everyone missed it. The savior slipped in unnoticed, through a virgin's womb. As people were waiting, he was growing up, stubbing his toes and getting splinters in his fingers. As people were watching for a sudden appearance in the Temple, he was asking questions of the rabbis and teachers. While they were waiting for a warrior, he was out on the hillside teaching, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

No one was waiting for the right things. No one was really ready for what the great Lord of might was going to do. He had come in power and glory and awe once before, on Sinai, and they didn't listen to him then. So this time he came as a baby in a manger. Do we listen today any better than they did?

Are we waiting for the right things?