When I was a little girl, I didn’t like waiting for Christmas.  I longed for Santa to come because he would bring a beautiful sparkling Christmas tree.  Now either my Mom was very clever, or I was very gullible, but about a week before Christmas our living room door was closed and the room declared off limits.  “Much too cold in there,” my mother said.  And so I ate in the kitchen and played in my bedroom. I didn’t dare open that door.

On Christmas Eve after church, my Dad for reasons unknown to me always headed home very quickly.  My Mom and I chose to ride home with Grandpa. As we drove up the hill, my eyes were glued to the car window.  As soon as I could see the house, I saw those bright colored lights glowing through the window. Santa had come! My Christmas tree had arrived! It was the happiest day of the year!

Waiting still can be difficult. Yesterday we began the season of Advent. It’s a time of expectant waiting. It’s a time to repent. It’s a time to get ready. We long for the joy of His coming. We are so very hopeful, but first we must wait.

There’s an old Nordic hymn that tells of this waiting; of people still “lost in the night” waiting for that day when the Lord will come.

      ” Lost in the night do the people yet languish
       longing for morning the darkness to vanquish,
       plaintively sighing with hearts full of anguish.
       Will not day come soon? Will not day come soon?”*
                                                      
At this time of year do we sometimes feel “lost in the night?”  Are we lost in our sinfulness, sighing as once again we repent?  Yet, we wait in confidence and hopefulness. We will soon celebrate the coming of our Savior Jesus born in Bethlehem.  It’s worth every moment of our waiting.  He comes with His perfect and unconditional love – love for me and love for YOU!

And so we wait.

Judy

*Text: Nordic hymn; translated Olav Lee 1859-1943
Music: Finnish folk tune