WATCHING AND WAITING
The Christmas season is in full swing now. We have seen Christmas items on the store
shelves since summer and before Halloween.
People are rushing here and there, buying and selling, planning all the
parties and gifts for the coming holiday.
There seems to be excitement in the air for some. Others may want to forget the coming holiday
season and all the commercial aspects involved.
Everyone is watching and waiting.
But in many hearts, do they really know the One who we are watching and
waiting for? For as we look back, we
remember that first Christmas, but I want to share that most important to all
mankind is His Second Advent, the soon return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ!
And on the church calendar this is the Advent season. This is the first Sunday of Advent and
candles were lit, greenery was hung in the church as we paused to remember that
first advent of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He came humble and meek as a baby, born in a
stable, worshipped by lowly shepherds and wisemen from the east, and angels lit
up the skies over Bethlehem as the Lord of Glory was born.
And in the time that Christ was born, the people were
also watching and waiting for their Messiah.
They lived under the harsh rule of the Romans, and many of the scholars
of that day had read the prophecies and knew that the time was near for Messiah
to come. They were waiting for the
Messiah to come and boldly take the Throne of David and throw out the Romans and
physically take over the world and bring peace.
But when He did come and walked in their midst, healing the sick,
bringing the message of the Kingdom of God, they rejected their Messiah and
sent Him to the cross to die a cruel death, but Christ was victorious over
death and resurrected the third day, as our Lord and Savior. Their eyes were blind, and hearts were hard
and they didn’t recognize that their long awaiting Messiah was walking among
them.
We, who love Jesus, are looking and waiting for His soon
return. Our hearts yearn to see His
face, and to see Him bring peace at last.
So as we look at our lovely trees and all the beautiful decorations, we
see Jesus and are reminded of His absolute glory. When we hang our red ornaments we are
reminded of the blood that He shed for us on the cross to take away our
sins. We hang our evergreen boughs and
put up our green trees and are reminded of eternal life that He brings, life
forever with Him. When we see the lovely
white balls, we are reminded of His purity, His absolute holiness. And those lovely gold ornaments that we may
hang on our trees remind us that He is King of kings and Lord of lords, and
when He comes this time, He will come not as a humble baby laid in the manger
of straw, but the KING, ruling in all glory and majesty! Can you imagine what that day will be
like? And then are the lovely purple
ornaments, and they remind us of His royalty.
So when you are shopping or putting out your decorations, be reminded of
the real meaning of those lovely Christmas colors and give Praise to His Wonderful
Name! As we are watching and waiting we
can say “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Revelation 20:20b.
Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art; dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our
hearts alone; by Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.
(Charles Wesley)
So as we look at the world around us, people rushing to
and fro, lost and empty hearts, hearts that long for something to fill that
empty place, and things don’t satisfy.
So we long for Jesus to come into the longing hearts of men to set them
free from the fear and sin, and find their rest in Him. Yes, Jesus was born to bring deliverance, a
baby in the manger, but He was a King who left His royal throne in glory to
reign in the hearts of men.
And He is coming again very soon, my friends out
there. Are you ready? And as you celebrate this Christmas season be
very mindful of the words of Jesus Himself:
“But take heed to
yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and
cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who
dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to
escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
Man” Luke 21:34-35.
Oh, we who love Jesus, long for His glorious
appearing! But we also long for men and
women, boys and girls to be ready for that day, for we do not know the day or
hour of His coming, but He commands us to watch and pray. If you do not know Jesus as your own personal
Savior, please call out to Him now before it is too late.
What if this would be your last day on earth
and you die in an accident or in your sleep? We never know how long our lives will be on this earth. Are you ready? Would you face Him as your Lord and Savior, or be lost for
eternity forever?
Judgment is coming and He is not willing that
men perish, but that men will find eternal life with Him. Won’t you make that decision today? What a beautiful time of the year to find Jesus
as your own Lord and Savior and be ready and watching when that Day comes.
So, my friends, celebrate Jesus this Christmas season. Put up your decorations and remember what
each color means in the life of our Lord Jesus.
And you can say “I am watching and waiting” this advent season for His
soon return, His glorious second advent!
COME, LORD JESUS COME!
Pastor Sharon
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