Tuesday, December 10, 2019
James 5: 7-8
7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
Expecting
This reading and this day hearken me back 28 years ago as my wife Sharon and I were waiting for the coming of our first child. The baby was due the day after Christmas, so the Advent season was particularly relevant that year. As I recall, the anticipation was a nervous and anxious one, but also one full of excitement. I probably did less that year to celebrate Advent or prepare for Christmas than any year previous, but I was actually living in anticipation of the coming of a child. So, Advent took on a different meaning altogether. As it ended up, our 10 lb. 3 oz. baby boy ended up being born on this day, December 10. (It was good that he didn’t just keep growing until the due date.)
Let us pray. Thank you, God, for your abundant blessings and for the gift of new life. You have been so good to us. Amen.
Submitted by: Jeff Weidenaar