Most people don’t like waiting. I wouldn’t say that I’m a “patient” person, but I don’t mind waiting (as long as it seems reasonable). I’m willing to wait for a table at a restaurant. “It’ll be about 20-30 minutes,” the hostess informs. “OK, that’s fine.” I’m willing to wait a reasonable amount of time at a doctor’s office….but when I have an appointment for 9:00 am, and I’m still sitting in the waiting room as it approaches eleven o’clock, I sometimes find it hard to mask my agitation. Many church members know that we are gearing up for the season of Advent— a season of waiting. They even make “Advent calendars” to make the 25 days “count-down to Christmas” a bit more endurable (or at least a bit more fun).
But before we get to Advent, Christmas, and everything else, we have one more Sunday in our ten-week sermon series on the western windows of our church sanctuary. The sermon for this Sunday will focus on the parable of the “Ten Bridesmaids.” In this parable, ten women were outside at night, waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. It was a long wait. Most fell asleep. They brought lamps. Their lamps had oil, but not all of them brought extra oil. Was it a lack of preparation? A lack of planning? A simple oversight?
Some were ready when the bridegroom arrived and others were scrambling to find some oil. The parable is an obvious reference to the second coming of Christ. Do we live, expecting Christ to return? Do we live waiting for life on earth to end so that we can go on to heaven? Do we live expecting that this world is all there is? What are you waiting for? Scripture teaches us that our relationship with God is already available to us, and that this relationship will continue forever.
As we approach the end of the 2024 calendar and the upcoming holiday season, are you waiting for something to happen? Are you living with eager expectation? Does your current relationship with God strengthen and energize you to live differently? Are you waiting? Are you ready?
Very truly,
Pastor Adam
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