What We've Been Waiting For
With the early sunsets this time of year, there’s a quiet that sets in over my neighborhood much earlier each night. A silence that feels unfamiliar. During other times of the year, we typically hear families strolling the neighborhood, babes and pups in tow.
But this season is quiet and still.
I can’t help but think of the 400 years of silence among the Jewish people and their God before Jesus came on the scene. He was silent for 14 generations. Can you imagine? No one’s great-great-great-great grandma to tell stories of the miraculous - of seas parted or kingdoms conquered.
And even though it ended in silence, God wrapped up the Old Testament with two promises: that He would send another Elijah and that He had a plan to restore families.
He could’ve saved the world in a million ways, and He chose a baby.
A babe that would rescue the world.
There’s a familiar song we all echo during this season… s i l e n t n i g h t.
A Light broke through the silence. The Word from heaven put on flesh and entered our weary world. Love came toward us. He took the first step.
I just can’t get over it.
The song we sing produces a calm, peace-inducing vibe, but there’s nothing calm (or clean) about birth. It is an intense, violent act of strength and love.
There was silence for 400 years and then suddenly, a baby’s cry and a rising star in the city of David. The silence was broken and nothing would ever be the same again.
His birth made waves, stirred hope, made front-page news, and summoned a choir of angels all before His first birthday. King Herod was ready to murder babies over mention of the Christ, while wealthy astrologers and priests walked hundreds of miles to give this tiny babe their greatest fortunes and worship at his feet.
Simply His entering into the world caused the greatest commotion in Jerusalem and shook “religion’s” foundation.
When I replay the story of His birth in my mind, it fills me with so much joy and faith I feel like my heart might actually explode!
I can see the expression of joy and splendor on the faces of the shepherds as they listened to thousands of angels sing of the goodness of God. A choir so large it blanketed an entire field. I feel the mysterious faith of Mary, mother of Jesus, the moment they recounted their unbelievable story and how she often “pondered these things in her heart.” I can smell the feeding trough where He was laid. I sense the overwhelming joy as Simeon prophesied over 8-day-old baby Jesus, fulfilling God’s promise that he would meet his savior before he tasted death.
A baby changed everything.
He was hope-fulfilled, faith-full, peace incarnate. He was the most joyous news the world had ever heard.
He was the One they’d been waiting for.
I’ve never been pregnant, but I do remember the preparation and anticipation that went into preparing for a “tween” to enter our home through foster care.
There was so much mystery and such great expectations.
Would it be a boy, a girl? A 4-year-old? A 12-year-old? What would they look like? What would they like? We had so many questions and none of the answers.
I wish I could say I was joyful throughout the whole process and trusted Father through it all, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Honestly, I whined most of the time and waded in a sea of worry, doubt, and fear. It wasn’t pretty, folks.
The wait can be so painful. Or, so beautiful. There is an invitation to wait well.
Even though we only get a glimpse of Mary’s wait, it is evident that it was filled with such sweet expectation and faith.
She visited her Aunt Elizabeth (who was also experiencing a miracle pregnancy) for several months during her pregnancy with Jesus. They bonded over the tangible miracles of God growing in their wombs and laughed as John leapt in Elizabeth’s belly when he sensed the nearness of Jesus. They broke out in songs and prophesied favor over one another.
They oriented their hearts toward heaven and encouraged each other in the wait.
Elizabeth and Mary finally met the One they’d been waiting for.
Friends, if you haven’t met Him, would you give Him a chance? Maybe you’ve never even read the story of His birth. Maybe you’ve only heard the story passed down (or watered down) from the pulpit the one time a year you step into a church. If that’s you, would you be willing to give up a few minutes to read the story? Not someone’s interpretation of the story, but the true story. There is no judgement and no condemnation on you today. He isn’t concerned (and I’m not either) about how much or how little you know about the story.
All He asks is that you lean in and listen closely.
He might just be what you’ve been waiting for all along.
HOPE
Your God says to you:
“Comfort, comfort my people with gentle, compassionate words.
Speak tenderly from the heart to revive those in Jerusalem,
and proclaim that their warfare is over.
Her debt of sin is paid for, and she will not be treated as guilty.
Prophesy to her that she has received from the hand of Yahweh
twice as many blessings as all her sins.”
A thunderous voice cries out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way for Yahweh’s arrival!
Make a highway straight through the desert for our God!
Every valley will be raised up, every mountain brought low.
The rugged terrain will become level ground
and the rough places a plain.
Then Yahweh’s radiant glory will be unveiled,
and all humanity will experience it together.
Believe it, for Yahweh has spoken his decree!”
FAITH
That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”
Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:
“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”
When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” So they ran into the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.
Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened. Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told.
But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.
The shepherds returned to their flock, ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified him for all they had heard and seen for themselves, just like the angel had said.
JOY
No more gloom for those who are in distress! Although the Lord greatly humbled the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, he will one day bestow upon them great honor—from the Mediterranean eastward to the other side of the Jordan and throughout the Galilee of the gentiles.
Those who walked in darkness
have seen a radiant light shining upon them.
They once lived in the shadows of death,
but now a glorious light has dawned!
Lord, you have multiplied the nation
and given them overwhelming joy!
They are ecstatic in your presence
and rejoice like those who bring in a great harvest
and those who divide up the spoils of victory!
For you have broken the chains
that have bound your people
and lifted off the heavy bar across their shoulders,
the rod the oppressor used against them.
You have shattered all their bondage,
just as you did when Midian’s armies were defeated.
Every boot of marching troops
and every uniform caked with blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
PEACE
I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous! “Remember what I’ve told you, that I must go away, but I promise to come back to you. So if you truly love me, you will be glad for me, since I’m returning to my Father, who is greater than I. So when all of these things happen, you will still trust and cling to me. I won’t speak with you much longer, for the ruler of this dark world is coming. But he has no power over me, for he has nothing to use against me. I am doing exactly what the Father destined for me to accomplish, so that the world will discover how much I love my Father. Now come with me.”
I’m so glad you’re here, friend. I’m not sure how you found this post, but I continue to be amazed by the internets. It brings us together in such beautiful ways and reminds us that we’re more alike than different. More united than divided. Whether you spend a minute or an hour on this page, know that Jesus loves you like crazy. Like CRAZY. I’d love to hear how I can pray for you. Would you let me know here?
