Hurry Up & Wait- Christmas Impatience in Southeast Texas

Southeast Texas Holiday Guide

Hurry up and Wait by Pastor Tim Dinger

SETXchurchguide.com Guest Commentary from Pastor Tim Dinger of Trinity Lutheran Church Port Arthur

We hope you’ll find the following Southeast Texas Christmas message going into Advent.

Arden Mead, in a recent Advent devotional booklet, writes the following:

Hurry up!” and “Wait!” are two concepts that very much fit the season of Advent.

On one hand, during this season the church prays, ‘‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus” with a kind of hurry–up urgency, sometimes wording it: “Even so, Lord, quickly come.”

On the other hand, God’s people have been offering that prayer for centuries, waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for it to be answered. Why else would this season of high anticipation be given four entire weeks out of our year? It is a drawn-out season of patient anticipation.

The Lord is coming, God’s Word assures us. That Word also informs us that the reason for the Lord’s delay is that God is being patient with us, giving human beings ample time for repentance.

In a way, these days before Christmas illustrate both sides of that concept very well. Especially children wish the holiday would hurry up and get here, while their parents are rushing about frantically, wishing for more time to get everything done: “Wait!”

Rev. Mead has hit on something. It is true that we hurry up and then sit around and wait. And we can become impatient with the Lord—why don’t you just take care of all the evil, all the pain, all the difficulties, right now? Why don’t you solve my dilemmas, my worries, my hurts, my sicknesses, right now?

Hear God’s word of promise – “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient on your account, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). We see Him keeping that promise as He sends His Son into the flesh to take upon Himself the sin of the entire world. He gives us time to be faithful in proclaiming that promise to others. God is patient with us so that we might repent of our own reluctance to declare boldly and clearly – “Christ, the Savior is born!”

In God’s merciful goodness may we “hurry up” to share His love and patiently “wait” for His return.

God’s peace to each of you,

Pastor Tim Dinger

SETXChurchGuide.com Editor’s Note: “Hurry Up and Wait” is a big issue in our Southeast Texas home as well. With small children this is especially true on a “worldly” level. We have to hide all the Christmas presents (including the wrapped ones) from our kids to manage his anxiety level. My loving wife has prepared my Christmas favorites (rich roll sugar cookies and home made cinnamon rolls) but the dough is safely hidden away in the freezer until Christmas eve. If there are things you’ve been waiting to take to the Lord, now is a wonderful time. Go into Christmas having asked for salvation, for forgiveness, or having given thanks for the blessings the Lord has provided. Share your guest commentary any time – just e-mail setxchurchguide@gmail.com.