True Advent

I have savored Advent more this year than any other. My wife and I have been in the process of adopting three wonderful children from Ghana since early 2009. Here we are, 9 months into the process, and we are in the final steps to travel and complete the adoption. Talk about birth pains!

It has been an exciting time for the church. In some respect, since we announced that we would be adopting, the congregation has watched and waited with us. Almost every time I see someone from the church, they ask if we have any news. The congregation is pregnant with anticipation.

Advent is meant to be this way - we should be pregnant with anticipation of the Savior's birth. The world tells us that we should sing our Christmas carols before Thanksgiving, give gifts, and attend gatherings with family and friends...but the time of the church says, "NOT YET!" The longer we wait, and the longer we watch, the more sweet the outcome.

We may be anticipating these children with all our hearts. In fact, we may want to rush it so much that we miss God's timing. Likewise, we may very well miss the birth of the Christ child - the object of this entire season - because we get ahead of ourselves. Even now, two days before Christmas, may we "put on the brakes" enough to experience a true Advent.