"Hurry up and Wait" is a motto I live by in my job. Daily I have to get to court a bit early to meet the client. I wait for them to arrive. Then we talk, and sit and wait for the Court to be ready to go. We wait a bit longer for the court reporter to get there. Then the other attorney. Sometimes, the Court is several minutes late. When I finally get done with the hearing, another Court and client is usually waiting for me.
Patience is not my virtue. I value efficiency and waiting seems like a waste of time. Perhaps that is why I have a profession that requires waiting: God is teaching me to expect delays!
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It laments the long wait for Messiah to appear. Ever since Adam and Eve were cast from the garden, people were waiting for the Promised One to appear. All Adam and Eve knew was that the Promised One was to be born of a woman, but would crush Satan (Genesis 3:15).
Several generations went by. Abraham was called and promised a nation (Genesis 15:4). King David was born and promised a son who would sit on the throne forever (2 Chronicles 6:16). But Israel had added other gods to the One true God, and as punishment, He destroyed them and sent them into exile.
But people were still waiting for Messiah to appear. Maybe more than ever. Daniel prayed regularly in Babylon (Daniel 6:10). It isn't hard to imagine that a wish for Messiah to arrive would be on his lips.
But Messiah was Delayed by man's standards. And even though God had given numerous prophecies about where, when and how the Messiah would appear, people still missed Him when He arrived.
They missed Jesus because he didn't fit into their idea of what Messiah would be like. Messiah shouldn't die. Messiah would crush the nation oppressing Israel.
But Messiah did die. And He rose again. And He will crush those who oppress His people.
But, once again, we are waiting. Waiting for His return to earth. We grow impatient and forecast that His return is near. Like generations of Christians before us, we yearn for Jesus to appear on the clouds and usher in His Kingdom. To crush Satan under his heel once and for all, as God promised our father Adam and our mother Eve. To fulfill God's promise to David that a son of his would reign forever.
Messiah is again Delayed by our standards. Someday, we'll come to know that Jesus' return was not delayed but perfectly on time. God's time.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God Appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
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