“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Psalm 130:5
“Sometimes in life you’ll find that you get in a hurry,
But when you have assurance, no need to worry
You can wait, wait, wait on the Lord and you’ll see
He always keeps his word”
“Wait on the Lord” — Donnie McClurkin
This song and scripture remind us of the importance and rewards of waiting. But why am I talking about waiting during one of the busiest seasons of the year?
We are in the midst of seasons and holidays that tell us to do everything but wait. Today I ask you to take the time to slow down and wait as an act of grateful resistance.
Take the time to wait and be grateful that showing gratitude is not confined to one season of the year. Take the time to wait and reflect on the gifts that matter most all year long. Thanksgiving may be a holiday, but giving thanks is life giving,
During a recent sermon, my pastor asked us to take time to write down what we were grateful for. She told us to think about all the ways God has blessed us. Even in the midst of struggles, writing what I was grateful for was cathartic. You could hear people praising and weeping as they wrote. It reminded us of the power of gratitude and that it can found in the simplest joys. Wait and take the time to let others know that you are thankful for them.
Why are we grateful for the invitation to wait?
Advent is the season of waiting. It starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, (Dec. 1) and it ends on Christmas Eve. It is a time of happiness, celebration, and hopeful anticipation of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It reminds us to wait and take time to remember the real meaning of Christmas — the gift of Christ.
Wait … a season of waiting during the busiest season of the year?
What does it mean to wait? I discovered a few interesting, almost opposite definitions of the word wait.
Wait (verb)
1.) Do nothing expecting something to happen
2.) be ready or available
Many of us may relate to the first definition of the word wait … it almost seems to be a waste of time. Yet how many of us connect to the second definition? Waiting gives us the invitation to be ready or available to divine interruptions.
An invitation to wait in the midst of a time where we live without pauses, especially during this holiday season, seems strange.
Yet the timing of the invitation is perfect because it reminds us that pauses are necessary and beneficial. It is a gift because, in the midst of the busyness, marketing overload, 24-hour social media and the grind, we are invited to slow down, wait and listen. The Chinese symbol for listening has the symbol for ears, but also includes the eyes to see, the mind to think, heart to feel and undivided attention. As we enter into this season, I invite you to wait, pause and intentionally listen to Christ and each other with all of your senses.
The invitation to wait is an act of resistance in a world that demands instant answers. Yet the invitation to wait is not an invitation to be passive. Take time for intentional time with Christ, yourself and your community.
Accepting the invitation to wait,
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer is an author, poet, teacher and preacher. You can contact her at CustomMadeInspiration@gmail.com and her website is www.sheilapspencer.com
