PREPARE TO WAIT-Titus-Luke

 

      Are we prepared to wait?  Why does waiting seem so out of the question in Christmas anymore?  Our first candle speaks of waiting and inherent in that waiting is patience, isn't it?  Yet, waiting and patience seem to be coming in smaller increments for our lives these days.  I sometimes spend a few moments watching the maelstrom and frantic pace that surrounds the birth of Christ in our malls, in traffic, in churches.  The pace of our culture seems to be more frenzied as each shopping day and mandatory program is erased from our busy calendar.  Our reading in Luke tonight tells us about another time of frenzy with an imperial edict for two young parents-to-be.  This order will totally displace them from any friends or loved ones only so they can be counted by a foreign oppressor.  It will take them from any support at a time of anxious waiting.   And just as we anticipate in the first of our new calendar, Mary and Joseph could look forward to being taxed.  Meager means would settle into anxiety and waiting again.

      So we are waiting for what?  Pregnancy in itself is a great trial of waiting.  Anticipation builds as the delivery draws near.  As Mary and Joseph approached Bethlehem on that divine journey, imagine their anticipation.  Did they realize what was waiting for them?  The angels that visited them had tried to prepare them for this unique birthing.  Our second candle talks about that preparation.  Titus' reading speaks of self-control and patience.  I wonder how Mary and Joseph were dealing with their final days of waiting and preparation.  How do we prepare ourselves for waiting?  And just as Mary and Joseph must have considered; what are we waiting for today; exactly? 

      Now on Christmas Eve, waiting for all children is "O.  V.  E.  R."  "O" being Out of the question.  "V" being Veritably impossible.  "E" being Eminently close to major pain and discipline from 'eminently closing' parents.  And "R" for Receiving mode is now primary.  AND Patience for many parents is at its zenith of LOSING IT.  Yet for Mary and Joseph, "over" was a totally different perspective on that first Christmas Eve.  The Preparation and the waiting were over.  It was literally over their heads in a heavenly host of angels.  It was over the hills of Bethlehem as shepherds stumbled toward their manger in awe.  It was over their heads in a bright ethereal supernova that would bring Gentiles from afar bearing great gifts of wealth and wonder.  Their social dilemma and all of the familial issues would be over.  Their last minute frenzy to find a place for their child to be born within would be over.  Yet the other side of over, especially on this night, was Promise.  Titus speaks of that promise and that Promise is named Jesus.  In Jesus or "Yehoshua, meaning Yahweh is salvation" is our promise for eternal life.  So now, these millennia later, we wait.  We are called to await the second Christmas.  For we must not be surprised as the people of that first one were.  We are called to prepare for a second arrival of our King and Savior.  We are called to await and prepare our hearts in a godly and upright manner to receive God's grace.  We prepare a room in the inn of our hearts for Christ.  And, in our hearts, we prepare a manger full of clean hay and surrounding love for the Holy Spirit.  For unto us is born this night; a Savior, Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God.  O Come, Immanuel, as our hearts prepare Him room; Come, Lord Jesus, Come!