Thursday Read: Advent Waiting and Active Hope

Simeon had been waiting his entire life for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit had promised he wouldn't die before seeing the Messiah, so he waited - not passively but actively, "righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25). Day after day, year after year, he went to the temple, watching for the One he'd been promised. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus for dedication, Simeon immediately recognized him and declared, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation" (Luke 2:29-30). His waiting was finally over.

As we approach Advent, we enter a season of waiting - remembering Israel's wait for the Messiah, anticipating Christ's return, practicing patience in a culture addicted to instant gratification. But biblical waiting isn't passive resignation or idle hoping. It's active preparation, expectant watching, faithful positioning. Anna didn't just wait; she "did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day" (Luke 2:37). Her waiting was filled with worship.

The ten virgins in Jesus's parable were all waiting for the bridegroom, but five were foolish and five were wise (Matthew 25:1-13). The difference wasn't their waiting but their preparation. The wise virgins brought extra oil; the foolish didn't. When the bridegroom was delayed, the foolish virgins' lamps went out. They were waiting, but they weren't ready. Jesus's warning echoes through the centuries: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:13).

The early church lived in constant expectation of Christ's return. Paul's letters reflect this urgency - "The Lord is at hand" (Philippians 4:5), "The night is far gone; the day is at hand" (Romans 13:12). Two thousand years later, we've lost this anticipatory edge, settled into comfortable Christianity that assumes we have plenty of time. But Jesus promised to return like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2) - unexpectedly, suddenly, when we least expect it.

Advent isn't just about remembering Jesus's first coming or anticipating his second - it's about practicing presence in the waiting. How we wait reveals what we believe about who we're waiting for. If we truly believe Christ is returning, it should affect how we live today - not in frantic anxiety or escapist withdrawal, but in faithful readiness and active hope.

The challenge of Advent waiting is maintaining expectancy across extended delay. Israel waited centuries for the Messiah; we've waited millennia for his return. How do we keep hope alive when the wait stretches long? We follow Simeon's example - righteous living, devoted worship, faithful watching. We live as if Christ could return today while working as if he won't return for another thousand years.

This Advent, practice active waiting. Prepare your heart like the wise virgins prepared their lamps. Watch expectantly like Simeon watched in the temple. Hope actively like Anna prayed without ceasing. Live ready - not in anxious fear but in joyful anticipation. The One we're waiting for is worth the wait, and when he comes, every moment of patient preparation will prove worthwhile.