Worth the wait!
Worth the wait!
In this season of anticipation, I suspect we will all do our share of waiting. Waiting in
line at the store or the post office, waiting for that special card or package to arrive, even
waiting for the wave of inspiration for that perfect gift idea…And ultimately waiting on
the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I find it ironic that my column last month
addressed patience as a virtue, professing my total lack of it and my disdain for waiting.
And the following week I headed to Walt Disney World…the land of lines! I found it
fascinating how long and patiently I waited in line with hundreds of other people, all
enjoying the anticipation of what was to come. We waited over an hour for one
attraction, in spite of the projected wait time of 120 minutes! All for a ride that lasted
less than three minutes! Why do we do that??
My friend was in Florida at the same time, caring for her mother through her final days of
her fourth fight with cancer. She described her life as being in a bubble, as she and her
sisters waited and watched as their mother’s health deteriorated to death. But the waiting
was a time of preparation, much like Advent is, as they prepared their hearts and
conquered fear with faith.
Little did I know I would have a similar, though much shorter wait as my niece was
diagnosed with a brain aneurism and recommended for immediate surgery. She waited
for many years, suffering major migraine headaches before hearing the ultimate
diagnosis. Not exactly the answer she was hoping for, but the end of one wait became
the beginning of another.
I served communion recently at my church. I was surprised by my disappointment in
being assigned to section E, the allergen free alternative. I was bummed because very few people come to my station, while the others were
serving continuously. I want to serve, not stand and watch! But I realized, as I observed the processionals to each of the traditional stations, that I
WAS serving. I was there to serve communion to those who cannot eat the traditional bread we serve as a symbol of the body of Christ.
It was quality over quantity. Though only two people came to partake, they were grateful
to be served in the way that suited their needs.
As Christians, we are always waiting and preparing. This is especially evident in the
Advent season. We continue to wait for the coming of Christ, and though we know not
how this will be, I am sure it will be worth the wait! Most things of true value are.
‘Good things come to those who wait’
