A Time of Waiting

I've been 'assigned' to write about Advent: what it is, perhaps a bit of history, how we can best spend our time as we wait. How to meaningfully prepare our hearts for what we know is coming: Christmas. Emanuel. Christ's birth. The coming of a King.

But Christmas  and Advent is more than waiting for Christmas morning. We look back and reflect, but we also look forward. We look forward and we again, wait. For Christ to return.

Yesterday was a difficult day. 20 elementary children dead at the hand of what can only be a deranged, evil, disturbed person. We attempt to make sense of the senseless. We are looking for a why. My facebook page is littered with all types of response from people and organizations. Some are talking about how broken our nation is, allowing guns. Some are sticking up for their right to own guns. Some are just sad and in mourning. Some are outraged. All kinds of advice, opinions and questions are on facebook.

Having elementary school-aged kids, my heart breaks, as this hits close to my heart. I can't even imagine the routine of sending my child to school and having something so tragic take place -- and right before Christmas! A time in our culture of  innocence and perceived goodwill. Of childlike wonder, hope and faith.

Shattered.

As my family lit the Advent candles, I whispered 'Come, Lord Jesus!"

The world still waits. We still ache and cry out. We yearn for peace. We want to see the Kingdom here and now, we work at it. We want what God wants, yet realize that only He can provide what we yearn for.

Come Lord Jesus.

 Come and heal. Draw those that mourn close to you. Let the world ask the questions of "why" and find the answer in You. Help us Christians set aside our own issues and opinions and work on being people that reconcile others to You. Help us wrestle with the questions and find a loving Father. Help me emerge from my questions to find solace in You.

The world is a broken place. In this darkness, in this time of waiting, let us truly find You and understand deeper the meaning of Christmas; of a loving Father, who sent his son to a hurting, broken world so show us His love.

The light shines in the darkness.......