Waiting . . . Let’s face it—I don’t know of too many people who like to wait. In fact, most people don’t want to wait on anything at all. Just watch people in a checkout line at the grocery store when the clerk puts that dreaded sign out which means they will have to find another line to wait in. Have many times have you hit that button over and over again just to cross the street or the button at the lift to try to make it get to you just a little quicker. Who thinks the microwave just isn’t working fast enough? Or watch people in a traffic jam who realise that they won’t make it to their job or appointment on time. First stages of road rage, maybe? Children especially hate to wait. Does “are we there yet” sound familiar? Let’s just say that patience is not one of their greatest virtues. I guarantee that they will love your Countdown til Christmas tree in your home. Believe me, they are counting the days.
          Seems like we are always waiting on something or someone. I wonder just how much of our lives are spent just waiting: waiting for the doctor to see us, waiting at stoplights, in traffic jams, waiting to pick up kids from school, waiting 9 months for that baby to be born, waiting to find a husband, waiting on whether or not the loan came through, waiting on exam results, waiting for water to boil,... Get the picture? We spend a lot of time just waiting! Sometimes we are waiting on good things to happen like that job promotion or school graduation. Then sometimes we are waiting on what could be some very bad news....lab results. And then sometimes we’re just waiting. Personally, I don’t like to wait either. I try to be patient but I’m just like the rest of us: waiting is no fun!!
          Well it wasn’t much fun for the Israelites either back thousands of years ago. They knew the Scriptures; they had seen God work and had heard of His miraculous power. They had heard of this Saviour who was supposed to come and save them from their sins but they had to wait!! Generation after generation came and went...still the sacrifices had to be made....the offerings were given. How do you count the days till something when you don’t have an end date? Imagine waiting for Christmas but you don’t know what date it’s on....you just have to wait...wait with faith. God’s people had waited for a promise....they believed it would happen but no one knew when. Then it happened... but in a very strange way. Their long-awaited Saviour would not come as a King in royal palace. He would not come riding in on a stallion and proclaim His rightful ownership of this world. No, he would come in the humblest and most miraculous means; through a young virgin in a dirty, smelly stable. And, while most of the world was sleeping the Saviour of this world would quietly make His entrance and the world from that point on would never be the same.
          We wait on Christmas...we count the days ( 31 to be exact)... they were waiting on Christmas too but for most people Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ – came and went without much ado. Once again this year Christmas will come and go and most people will not stop by the manger. Most people will have the parties, give the gifts, eat the wonderful food but never think about who this is all about. Don’t let that happen to you or your family this Christmas. God sent His Son Jesus Christ into this world the way He did that we might be able to better relate to Him and that we may be saved. He came to show us how we too can have a relationship with Him...a remarkable, amazing relationship that extends beyond the grave for eternity if we ask Him into our hearts. This Christmas don’t just count the days...make the days count. Take a look at Christmas like you never have before. Don’t’ be counting the days till it’s over....if that’s how your Christmas is...so busy you wish it would hurry up and be over...make some changes. See Christmas for what it really is....it’s not giving each other gifts...it’s accepting the gift that has been given us. The gift of salvation wrapped up as a baby over two-thousand years ago. The greatest part is that we don’t have to wait anymore...He is here!!!! And He can be yours tonight!!!