Jesus is coming…look busy.

Waiting, Part II.

I recently penned an article about waiting in line (which you can see here http://www.bidwellriverside.org/standing-in-line/ if you are really bored). It is, of course, about waiting in line and how much I hate it. Just when I thought no one else could possibly hate waiting as much as I do, I was confronted with our oldest daughter, Alex. On December 23rd. Alex arrived from Overland Park, Kansas with her significant other and our only grandchild, Atticus. As always, she arrived in a dizzying burst of energy. This was the first Christmas she (in her words) was able to bring “real” gifts. Box after box of artfully wrapped gifts appeared. And, with the glee of a child she chanted “open them, open them, open them!” Although only two days away, she could not wait until Christmas morning. Of course our other daughters were absolutely thrilled with the prospect of opening gifts early. Suddenly paper was tearing, tissue was flying and gleeful oohs and ahhs resounded. There was no waiting for Christmas at the Bacon home. I watched the spectacle with a sigh of resignation. Once the gift orgy was over, Alex turned to me and demanded “open them!”– referring to the unopened gifts at my feet. I shook my head. Alex, hands on hips, proclaimed “they are my presents to you so I get to decide when you open them.” If you ever have the chance to get to know our eldest you will understand why I complied.

The celebration of Christ’s birth represents the ending of a period of waiting. But what is it that we were waiting for? For some of us we were awaiting the end of the madness that the holidays can bring. Others were impatiently waiting to see if the ipad made its way under the tree. For many, it is waiting to see loved ones that are not seen often enough. But for Christians, the waiting should represent something more. Shouldn’t the world be different somehow? Ah, but maybe it is. Throughout the gospel Jesus points out that the Kingdom is at hand…within our reach. If this is true, the waiting is over. Its time for the doing.