Two Kinds of Waiting

These are in the south-facing window of my officeWe're in that strange time between the end of the term and the actual release that comes with being done and not going to work for a while. Students finished their finals yesterday; now the faculty are buried in the task of grading. The administrators are taking advantage of the usual committees not meeting, and are doing marathon sessions in strategic planning meetings, search committees and budget committees. I sat in those sorts of meetings for a straight six hours yesterday. They're exhausting, but you come out if it with a sense of well-being, because we're actually getting the time to make progress on strategic work.

In the midst of all this hustle and bustle, we're actually waiting. Not a static waiting but an active, energy-burning waiting. We're waiting for that fulfillment of expectations when our plans for Christmas break come true. We're waiting for that rest that's so desperately needed. Many of us are waiting to see the faces of loved ones who will arrive to spend a few days with us.

The difference between that, and waiting for the first and second coming of Christ, is that with this kind of waiting (waiting for Christmas break to start), we know when it will arrive. If we just put one foot in front of the other, grade one paper and then the next, go to one committee and then the next one, ... the days will pass and the long-awaited Christmas break will become a reality. It may not fulfill all our hopes and expectations, but it will arrive, on time.

I think that kind of waiting is easier than waiting for the literal coming of Christ. On the other hand, when that finally gets here, I'm confident that it will far exceed our hopes and expectations.

And so we continue to wait for His appearing, and that, too, is an active, energy-burning waiting.

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Rev. 22:20, NIV)