Advent Devotion: Day 8

Sunday,  December 4

Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Many of our societal norms were disrupted by the pandemic. One disruption that has persisted is “contactless waiting” for medical appointments. Prior to March 2020, patients were expected to go inside the healthcare provider’s front entrance, speak to a receptionist, and then sit in a waiting room filled with crying babies, tired mommas, and germs galore. Post pandemic, the waiting game has changed. Many offices do not require the typical waiting sequence any longer. Just last week my son had a well check at a local pediatrician. We checked in by phone, sat in the car and chatted, and then walked directly to our exam room when a text notified us it was available. This small change has made waiting a little less agonizing.

Waiting is a painful experience for many. Think about the number of customer service innovations focused on smoothing the interim period. You can pay extra at theme parks for priority ride access, call ahead for seating at your favorite restaurant, and say good-bye to grocery store lines by using self-checkout. But what if there is purpose in the waiting. Are we missing something because we are in a rush?

Advent is the season of waiting . . . waiting on our Savior’s birth. In our scriptures today, both Isaiah and John the Baptist told God’s people it would be worth the wait, for peace was coming. The scriptures encourage us not to complain while we wait, but to “live in harmony with one another.” Perhaps there is purpose in the waiting. Scriptures challenge us not to be miserable in the interim, but to be joyful, to live with eager anticipation of how God will show up right on time. Even in the midst of waiting for a painful season to conclude, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”

Anna S. Hamrick
Associate Director, Hunt School of Nursing