Read: Isaiah 40:21-31
They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (v. 31)
Has anyone ever asked you to “wait right here” while they went to retrieve a gift for you? Have you ever been challenged to trust the process, remain patient while plans unfold, or relinquish your own expectations and faithfully sit in the unknown?
The season of Advent begins tomorrow. This time of waiting is one that Christians first recognized as early as the fourth century. Advent is about intentional waiting; a special time of concentrated anticipation for the celebration of Jesus’s birth. In this season, we are encouraged to slow down, allow the Holy Spirit to move us toward repentance and renewal, and patiently wait for the advent (the coming) of Jesus that we celebrate each Christmas.
As we close out this devotional series on gratitude, I hope we can also joyfully wait for Christ’s second advent, when he will descend to earth once again to gather up all who believe and take them home to heaven (John 3:16; 14:3).
If you have not confessed your sins to Jesus and accepted his gift of eternal life, please don’t wait any longer. Christ has promised us life everlasting—free of sin, pain, and sorrow. There is nothing greater for which we can be grateful. Let’s honor God with our lives, living in gratitude, and eager anticipation for eternity with him!
As you pray, thank God for Christ’s first coming and for when he will come again.
About the Author
Joy Petroelje serves as the grants manager for a faith-based international nonprofit organization. Aside from work, she enjoys family time, coffee or dinner with friends, writing, reading, and running.
