We hate waiting, don’t we? We just want the moment to come!

Impatience is why my mom and dad created a tradition in our family—the birthday bed present. Whenever we woke up on our birthday, we’d find a brightly wrapped birthday present at the end of our bed. 

The early morning gift was a great way to start our birthday, but Mom told me our bed present was an even better gift for her. She got to enjoy peace rather than being pestered by an over-eager birthday girl or boy.

Yes, it’s universal. We hate waiting. 

But ever since Genesis 3:15 and the Garden of Eden, we’ve been a people of waiting. Waiting on all the works and promises of God to be fulfilled. 

Waiting and Waiting . . .

Adam and Eve (along with all Creation) waited 4,000 years from the time God gave the promise to the coming of the Savior.

Abraham waited 25 years for God to give him his promised son. 

Isaac waited 20 years for his twins. 

David waited 15 years after being anointed as king before he sat on the throne. (Even worse, while he waited, he had to flee for his life from King Saul, who wanted him dead. Once he hid in an enemy land and had to act like a crazy person so they wouldn’t kill him.)

The prophet Simeon and prophetess Anna waited all their lives to see God’s salvation. 

“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4).

Christ was born.

God sent an angel to proclaim this great news to nearby shepherds.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

—Luke 2:8–14 ESV

Glory to God—Blessings for Us

About the same time that the shepherds rushed to Bethlehem to see this divine baby—the long awaited Messiah—wrapped in swaddling clothes, wise men in the east saw a star rise in the sky. They began their long journey to see the king. 

In Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). 

The shepherds saw Jesus the same night the angels proclaimed His birth.  

The prophet Simeon and prophetess Anna held the infant Jesus eight days after His birth when He entered the temple cradled in Mary’s arms. The wise men were still traveling. It would be a long time before they would see the young Savior.

God planned each circumstance to glorify Himself and uniquely bless them. It’s easy to see the blessing for the shepherds and even Simeon and Anna. They enjoyed nearly instant gratification—if we discount waiting their whole lives. (And Simeon and Anna were old!)

But what was the wise men’s blessing in the long waiting? (I have no idea. But God knows, and He never fails.)

It’s worth waiting one night, one year, or our whole life if it means we’ll get to worship Christ the Lord as our Savior and King.

No wait is too long to enjoy the fulfillment of all God’s promises. God is with us in the waiting. 

We Wait—God Works

God’s people have always been a people of waiting. But God has always been a God of action. He’s always working to fulfill all His promises at His appointed time.

This is what Advent is about. Advent comes from Latin and means coming. Christmas is about looking back at Jesus’s first coming. Advent is about looking forward with longing and anticipation for His second coming. 

During the in between times—the “not yet” times we live in—God is working in our world and in us that will bring Him the most glory. And His glory blesses us beyond measure. His work and His glory bring His children abiding peace and joy—gifts we long for. Gifts found and fulfilled in Him. 

We don’t wait empty-handed. In His presence is fullness of joy. He fully satisfies our hearts in Himself.

What Are You Waiting For?

Maybe you’ve been waiting for God to answer your tear-stained prayers for years. Or maybe just days, but they’ve been tense-filled days. 

We want God to do for us as He did for the shepherds. Answer my prayers today, Lord.

But maybe He’ll receive greater glory by our waiting for two years, or 25, or longer.

Whether we’re like the shepherds, who immediately saw the answer to the heavenly calling, or like the wise men who waited and traveled a long road before they saw His answer, God will bless us as we trust in Him. He blesses us with Himself and the desires of our heart.

Let’s spend whatever time God appoints to us in expectant waiting on the God who is always moving to fulfill all His promises at His appointed time.

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. — Isaiah 64:4

In our impatient humanness, we want to wake up and find the answer to our prayers at the end of our bed. And one day, we will. Well, not literally on the end of our bed (probably), but God’s answer will come. And it will be the answer that brings Him greater glory than if He’d answered sooner or differently. This is good news, because His glory blesses us beyond measure. 

Pray with Me

Father, I praise you for the coming of our Savior, born a child and yet a king. I praise You that He’s coming again and rules all things—including my waiting times.

Father, forgive me for my impatience for the fulfillment of my prayers and all Your promises. No matter how long I must wait, I pray I’ll faithfully worship You in my waiting with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

Help me quiet my heart before You and Christ my King. I want to offer Him gifts of true value through my love, obedience, and great patience, trusting in Him. 

Unite my heart with Your will, Father, and move me to serve with eager hands and feet in grateful praise and my eyes fixed on You.

Thank you, that as a people of waiting, we have a perfect and powerful God of action who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Glorify Yourself in me today.

In Your glorious name I pray. Amen.