December 4, 2012

Psalm 33: 18-22

"Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
 to deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive in famine.

 Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
 Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you."

            Once again, our scripture for this day encourages us to wait and to hope.  Waiting is not something that I like to do, for it more often than not is a waste of time.  But the waiting encouraged during this Advent season is not idle waiting.  Rather, it is waiting with a purpose, and that purpose is to calm the chaos of our lives so that we will be aware of the presence of God in our midst; a presence that is with us every single moment whether we realize it or not.  As we wait, we do so with a confident hope in the steadfast love of the Lord that has endured and will continue to endure throughout all generations.  So let us set aside time to pause this day, to find a sense of calm as we wait for the Lord with the confident hope that, "those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." 

 

            Prayer:

                        Great God of hope, in the busyness and chaos of this Advent season, help us to be still, if only for a few moments, and wait on you, confident that your steadfast love will enfold us today and throughout this holy season.  Amen.