Let Us Wait As Children Wait An Advent Reflection by Coe Hutchison

Today’s post in the Advent series Let Us Wait As Children Wait, is written by Coe Hutchison. Coe is pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Port Townsend WA, former MSA Board chair and a good friend.

Let us wait as children wait—for the Child.

How do children wait?

On pins and needles. In anticipation. There is no question of whether what is being anticipated will arrive, there is only a question of when. It is hard to sit still, the excitement is so great. Let’s wiggle, let’s fidget. Is it time? Is it time?

We are excited, we anticipate because we know it will be good. How do we know it will be good? Because we have heard the stories, we know the stories by heart. The stories of His coming, the stories of His gifts, the stories of His love. We know it will be good. There is no question, no doubt, it will be very good.

As we wait we strain to hear. Do I hear Him there? Is that Him speaking? Is that His voice I hear in another person? Is that His voice I hear in a hymn or song? Is that His voice I hear in the hustle and bustle of the season? Is that His voice in the bank teller, or the exhausted retail worker? Is that His voice in my co-worker or the grocery checker? Is that His voice in my family? Is He speaking through those at the Food Bank, at the Shelter. We listen for His voice wherever we are, whatever we are doing. We strain to hear Him.

As we wait we strain to see. Is that Him there? Is that Him in the video, the movie? Is that Him in the church pew next to me. Is that Him in the children’s Christmas pageant? Is He there in the nursing home resident, the hospital patient. Is He there in our worship, in our shopping, in our celebrating. Is that Him there in our family? We strain to see Him.

As we stretch our ears to hear, as we strain our eyes to see, we are attuned to His voice and our eyes are trained to spot His face. And we do hear Him. We do see Him. Let us watch and listen as children watch and listen, for we will see and hear Him. We know the stories, we know the promises, it will be good, it will be very good. Let us wait, and watch, and anticipate, and fidget, as children do. “For unto us a child is born . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” I can’t wait. I can’t wait!