WAIT
ON THE LORD: WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING
ROMANS
13.11-14
DECEMBER
2, 2007
WESLEY
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Douglas
Norris
Wait on the Lord is our
theme this Advent season. Advent, the four weeks before Christmas,
is the season of waiting.
But, aren’t we
thankful the San Jose Fire Department didn’t wait Tuesday evening,
but rushed to the fire, saved our church building, and rescued most
of the inhabitants. We grieve for the one who didn’t make it.
But, the Fire Department is to be commended for the quick, efficient
response. One firefighter was positioned on the church roof with a
power saw, ready to saw a hole in the roof for a water hose, when the
captain noticed him, and stopped him just in time! I’m glad the
captain waited to see if the church building was on fire before
cutting a hole in the roof, and flooding the sanctuary with water!
There is a time to
hurry, and there is a time to wait! Advent teaches us to wait. We
wait for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. We wait for the coming
of the splendor and glory of God’s kingdom.
Americans aren’t good
at waiting! We need to learn how to wait because most of us don’t
know how to wait. We don’t like to wait. Our culture is
“wait-less”. We want instant gratification, we want our candy
now, we want the internet to be instantaneous, we don’t want to
wait in front of a screen, we don’t like to wait in lines. We are
impatient.
Japanese people are
known for patience. I tried to learn patience when I was in Japan.
On one school train trip, I anxiously waited to see Mt. Fuji. I had
yet to see Fujiyama, but, it was rainy that day as well. I fussed
and fumed in good American fashion, “Why is it raining today? Out
of all the days to be rainy, why today?” I fussed on and on until
one student told me in half Japanese, half English, “Sensei, the
rain does not come from the ground up. It comes from the sky and we
can’t do anything about it!” He put me in my place-- politely,
courteously, but I got the message!
When I was there
umpteen years ago, I saw Japanese people wait patiently at bus stops,
subway stops, and train platforms. They stand quietly, courteously,
patiently until the doors open. Then, watch out. It’s every girl
for herself! If you don’t want to move, you are moved
involuntarily by the crowd. They even hire attendants to stand at
the door and push passengers in so the doors will shut. I was
thankful for my height. Even though I was squashed, I could breathe!
So much for Japanese patience! However, once they are squashed
inside, they revert to patient, courteous waiting!
Advent can teach us to
wait, but how do we wait? What do we do while waiting?
Hear again the
Scripture Lesson, Romans13.11-14, but this time from The Message,
by Eugene Peterson, “But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed
and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that
you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night
is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God
is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work
he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a
minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity
and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and
grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t
loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress
yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!”
There at least three
suggestions in this passage about what to do while waiting.
“Don’t get
absorbed in daily obligations and doze off, oblivious to God.” In
other words, keep in touch with God. We spend a great deal of time
waiting in traffic, waiting in lines—grocery lines, bank lines,
DMV lines. Some folks are impatient and stew and fret. Others take
advantage of the wait time to talk on the phone, or text message,
listen to music in their earphones, read magazines. How about
settling down, relaxing, and praying while waiting in line? We can
pray with our eyes open and our lips sealed. Focus on Jesus. Pray
for others. Try praying for the others in line. Picture them
surrounded by the light of God, say “Jesus”. Commend them to
Jesus’ care. You don’t need to know them. You don’t need
words. The word “Jesus” is enough. What to do while waiting
for Christmas? Pray, meditate.
What to do while
waiting? “Dress yourselves in Christ.” What does Jesus wear?
Compassion, kindness, mercy, patience. Before you go to bed at
night, or when you get up in the morning, you decide what you’re
going to wear. “What shall I wear today?” you ask. Decide what
you NEED to wear. What is the schedule? Whom are you going to
meet? Is there something you're not looking forward to? Are you
waiting for news, a word from a friend or loved one? Is work
difficult? Is there a decision you must make? Are you unsure?
Confused? What might you wear to help you get through the day?
Confidence? Faith? Patience? Power?
What to do while
waiting? Do God’s work. Paul wrote, “We can’t afford to
waste a minute…Get out of bed…Don’t loiter and linger…be up
and about.” We are waiting for a new pastor July 1. We wait, but
we can’t stop. Ministry goes on. The church doesn’t hibernate.
Yesterday, we had a Planning Meeting to make plans for 2008. The
theme for 2008 is “From Spectator to Disciple.” We hold that as
a goal for every member of the church. Move from being a spectator
on the sidelines to full participation as a disciple of Jesus. 60
people, meeting in committees yesterday, designed ministries for
2008.
Advent teaches us to
wait. We wait to celebrate Christmas. We wait for the coming of the
splendor and glory of God’s kingdom. What to do while waiting?
Pray, do God’s work, dress yourselves in Christ.
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