Advent 4 - How long must I wait?

Men from a far away land in the East. Men who had been hoping all their lives. Men who had not given up searching, and had become old in the process.  Wise men. 

These wise men understood the patterns of the stars and they knew the prophecies of old - strong words foretelling the birth of a Saviour, spoken hundreds of years before. The passing of time had not weakened their search, disappointment had not diminished their conviction, age had not extinguished the flames of faith.

The cry from the heart of God, echoes across time, and down the years, a call and an invitation to all mankind ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart’. Jer 29:19

These wise men were expecting the Messiah - they probably did not know when or how or where, but they knew that one day, He would come. That night they saw an unusual light in the sky.  That was all they needed - like a nudge, a wink, a finger beckoning. I marvel at their response, at the desire burning within them to encounter the coming King, at their leaning in towards the greater light that had come into the world.

Will we seek to meet God today in the humdrum of our lives? Will we seek Him because we are expectantly waiting for Him - are we ready for Him to show us something of Himself at any time, at any moment, in any way? 

In choosing to believe in something bigger and greater and more glorious that anything they had yet experienced, the Magi had positioned themselves for an encounter with the King of Kings. In faith they had watched as the star rose high in the sky, in faith they had chosen gifts, in faith they had travelled over 1000 miles, in faith they knelt and worshipped a baby boy.

We have already met Jesus and yet, in hoping for prayer to be answered, in the longing for situations to change, desperate for breakthrough, for many of us the waiting has dulled and wearied and blurred our faith - for some, the intentional searching ceased a long time ago, and we consider now, perhaps, that there is no hope, or is there?

The light that hung in that dark sky 2000 years ago still invites us to lean in towards Christ, in faith - a sign still, for those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear the small sweet whisper, ‘nothing is impossible for him who believes’. Mark 11:23

Photo by Lucas Santos on Unsplash