This post was originally published in Goshen College’s Advent Devotionals. Goshen College students and employees are reflecting on the theme: “What are you waiting for?” from Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada worship resources. Daily online devotionals are available during Advent 2019 at www.goshen.edu/devotions, or you can subscribe to receive them as a daily email.
By Joanne Gallardo, Goshen College campus pastor
Most of our lifetime involves waiting. Whether we’re waiting at a red light, waiting for a package to arrive, or waiting to get word on an important diagnosis, we are often pacing, toe-tapping and double checking to see if what we want or need is about to arrive. Sometimes we wait in dread and fear. Other times we wait with excitement and anticipation. With the coming of Jesus, I believe we wait with a little bit of both sides of the sentiment coin.
With anticipation there is always a little bit of fear and dread. Waiting for something can involve change, and however welcome change can be, its near impossible not to be a little afraid. The coming of Jesus means a lot to the family of God. It means the disruption of social order, the inevitable pain of loss, the tough work of reconciliation, and the eventual glory of the resurrection. We know this story, we know the end goal, we know who has the final say, and yet, we’re worried. What does the coming of Jesus into the world mean for us?
And yet, change is welcome. We long to be shaken up, to be woken from our deep sleep, to have something new and different arrive that has us thinking and acting in ways that invigorate us and call us to a new way of being in the world.
We need something new. We need something revolutionary. We can hardly wait.
As we all long for the coming of Jesus, we invite you to keep coming back to Goshen College’s Advent Devotionals page and listen to the insight from faculty, staff, and students as we reflect on the theme, “What are you waiting for?” Whatever it is you’re anticipating in your life, reflect with us as we anxiously and eagerly welcome the coming of the Christ child into our world.