The one who moves too hurriedly misses the way. -- Proverbs 19:2

“Hurry up and wait” is a modern footnote to this proverb. We have all been in traffic jams, in crowds of people waiting to enter an arena or theater, in those airport security lines. There is no chance to hurry there. But what about the hurry times when we see nothing of the scenery or those we pass on the street? As we move closer to Christmas let us deliberately slow the pace so as not to miss the unseen gifts.

For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. -- Hebrews 10:36

Someone has described life as an endurance contest, which does have some truth in it, although it omits the interwoven joys. The dictionary says that to endure is to carry on despite hardship. Think of that journey to Bethlehem. What endurance did Mary and Joseph need to travel all those miles on foot or donkey-back just because of a census? A little spiritual spinal fusion is sometimes needed so that we might remain faithful in life’s challenges. Let’s work on that today.

…you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant… -- 2 Samuel 7:28

We wait in the truth of God’s word. If God cannot be trusted, who can? We so often fail in this regard because we transfer our disappointments with other human beings to our spiritual lives. We then decide that God is as unreliable as Tim or Natalie or…. Today’s text from David’s great prayer reminds us how important trust is to any waiting. If we don’t trust that it will come, why wait?

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. -- Psalm 130:5

Waiting needs a strong dose of hope. It seems almost trite to say it, but if we have no confidence that God is at work, then upon what is our faith based? Hope is a transforming state of soul, a characteristic of the believer. To an often discouraged world, God says: “Hope in me.”

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. -- Psalm 40:1

Patience is not a modern virtue. We measure things in nanoseconds; we want work done ASAP; we have little tolerance for being put on hold. Yet if waiting is to be fruitful, it must be patient. In the spiritual realm, because God has yet to acquire a stopwatch, patient waiting is an Advent virtue to be practiced in the challenges that today offers.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. -- Psalm 27:14

Only the strong endure through trials. The others tire and give up. The people of Israel waited through centuries for the Promised One to come. We must take that same enduring courage and incorporate it into our lives as we wait for God’s action. Sometimes the answers to our prayers seem so long in coming. That is when this counsel to take courage is most needed.

It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. -- Lamentations 3:26

This is the week to incorporate into our living each of the attitudes to which Advent invites us. In these dark December days, as the marketing world noisily sells around us, we need to find moments of spiritual quiet that make our prayer life possible. That is how we learn, amid the world’s noise, to wait in spiritual quiet for the coming of Jesus.

For in him every one of God’s promises is a “yes.” -- 2 Corinthians 1:20

This is one of Paul’s most challenging phrases. Just as Jesus said “yes” to the Incarnation, just as Mary said “yes” to the angel’s request, we too are invited to affirm our small part in the great Christian story that is still unfolding. This is the day to examine our readiness to say “yes” to what God is asking of us in our daily living.

...to wait for his Son from heaven... -- I Thessalonians 1:10

Jesus of Nazareth, lately of heaven, is our Advent goal. He is the Promised One of the ages and our daily companion on the road. Caught between these two great truths, this is the day to catch our spiritual breath. This is the day to say in prayer: “Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, longing to be reborn in each of our lives. It is He who gives meaning to the cards and carols and gifts.”

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. -- Isaiah 30:18

What a lovely way to see the Lord—waiting only to be gracious, to invite us into the kingdom with a smile, to rise up for the sole purpose of showing mercy, that is, to embrace us as part of the family. In the activity of these weeks that threatens to become frenzy, may we take time today to be gracious to those who share our way.