Waiting for Christmas

Some things are worth the wait. A few days ago, Kelly woke up and could not find Parker. He usually does not wander off by himself, so she thought it was a little bit odd that he would turn up missing at 7:30 a.m. After combing the closets on the second floor, she found him sitting calmly by the tree, teddy bear at his side, wrapped in his blanket. “What are you doing?” she asked, relieved to find him. He replied, “I’m waiting by the tree for Christmas to come.”

While most people are delayed in the checkout line this holy-day season, a few people still have enough patience to wait in some quiet moments. I’ve spotted a few others waiting in some other places this season. I’ve spotted you in the home of a homebound person, waiting with them while a caregiver attends church on a Sunday morning. Some people have been waiting in the Gulf Coast regions, repairing homes and getting perspective on life. Others are waiting in prayer, asking for God’s guidance for our world and God’s intervention in some of the greatest needs imaginable.

If I could have predicted last year’s events, at a local, global, or church level, you would have probably laughed. Some were catastrophic, others were welcomed with open arms. Each one became an opportunity for First Baptist people to be involved in God’s work. Each time, we waited in dependence for God’s care and assistance. Take a few moments this week and hide out. Find a quiet place, and reflect on the coming of the Christ child to our world and the message that we will share about Him in 2006. I promise you; it will be worth the wait.