Daily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Sunday, December 3, Evening
By Rev. Andy Ferguson, Retired Senior Pastor
Christmas! Umm, No, Wait
Read: Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God… to a maiden engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. The maiden’s name was Mary.
When Celia told me, years ago, that we might be having a baby, my mind began to race. Will this be a boy or girl? What name will we give the child? Do parents have a right to impose a name on a child? (Yes, I actually wondered.)
Our two children were born before the gender was easily discovered during prenatal check-ups. The women, of course, had ways of predicting whether boy or girl; mainly their guesses were just to pass the time. We could not know until delivery. Gabriel told Mary that day that her child would be a boy – the first gender-reveal party in history.
Gabriel further told Mary, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High …” He assured Mary that the world will be changed by her child. But on the day Gabriel appeared to Mary with this wonderful news, all the promises of greatness were just that: promises. In the meantime … For the coming nine months …” For years and even lifetimes to come … the world will look pretty much the same. Problems, bills, pandemics and worries will roll over her (and us) until the child is born. After that, she will wait until he steps onto the world stage.
We begin Advent today. It is a season of such promise! But, umm, no, wait. Wait for Christmas Day. Wait for the Cross. Wait for Christ to return in fullness. This is the season of waiting. God’s promise has been given, and hope was conceived that day. Now, we wait for the fullness. We wait busy with hopeful patience.
Prayer
Lord, your great promise has been given by the angel. Wait with us until we see the promise of Christ in all its fullness. We wait impatiently to sing with the angels, “Joy to the world; the Lord is come!”
