Getting Ready: Advent Reflections, Luke 1:80

'And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.'

Luke 1:80


Christmas seems to have come quickly this year. Time doesn’t always fly, though. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years before God’s promise of a child was fulfilled. Israel waited hundreds of years for the Messiah to come in Jesus. Today we read about John waiting for his ministry to begin: not yet John the Baptist, just John the youth, growing and becoming strong in spirit in the wilderness for over two decades.

Our wait for Christmas is not long now (although children may disagree!). But there are likely other things we are waiting for, as individuals, families or as a church community.

I encourage us to learn from John: to see our time of waiting not as neutral or wasted time, but as preparation time in which we grow and become mature in Christ, the people God has called us to become.

How do we prepare? We’ve explored a few ways this Advent, such as repentance, prayer, supporting each other, believing God’s promises and proclaiming the gospel. But today’s passage emphasises that, as important as our preparation is, God is at work preparing us too. John’s growth, like a seed sprouting and ripening, took place in its own time and way. So too, our own discipleship is a miracle, something God ultimately brings about.

Behind all our activity, effort and limitations, God is the main character working in our lives, in the church and in the world to fulfil his promises for all creation. Our main task is to accept God’s love and cooperate with him as he guides us.

Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus, whose coming ended the night of sin and evil, signalling the new day of salvation still to come. Let’s give thanks for this gift and wait with hope for his return. And as we wait, let’s take comfort that he is with us even now, preparing us for something we do not yet know, but something amazing.