The Waiting Gain
by Marissa Carpenter, CVCS Director of Marketing & Enrollment
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” John 1:9-12
No one likes waiting. Unless, of course, they know what they’re waiting for. Well, really, even then—no one jumps for joy at the idea of a long line at airport security, a crowd at the grocery store, or getting stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle, even if wherever they’re aggressively speeding off to isn’t an appointment or time-sensitive in any way.
We’ve all but lost the ability to wait. We eat fast food. We demand wifi at all times so we can connect with literally anyone but the people around us. We expect our coffee order to be no-foam-extra-hot-double-shot-right-now. And heaven forbid anything takes one more moment than we expect. That simply cannot happen. I’m also going to take the opportunity to call out some of you that cannot WAIT to play Christmas music and you start thinking about it BEFORE THANKSGIVING—what?! I guess that’s just a personal preference on my end, though.
Folks like to put up wreaths and lights and Christmas trees and go shopping for friends and family and bake up a whole storm of delicious pies and treats and dream of a white Christmas. Great! But putting those things into context is something we sometimes miss. It’s an old adage, but it’s still true: Jesus is the reason for the season. As much as I like a good rhyme, this one needs to be reworded. Let’s give it a try: Jesus is God come down. To earth. To save us. As a baby. Let’s have a big party to celebrate this amazing piece of the redemption story. Okay, I get zero points for brevity. But I think you understand what I’m saying. Christmas is about Christ. Everything else is just an added bonus—while we wait.
Think more about that first Christmas. People were given a heap of prophecies and had been told that God would redeem his people. No one knew how, and no one knew when, save for a handful of people, just before his arrival. And even when Jesus came, there were still so many who didn’t know what his presence meant, and how their lives would change completely.
The biggest part about our role in the observation of Advent, the season of waiting? Have hope. Spread joy. Embody peace. Be love. These virtues are the spirit of Christmas. The difference for Christians is that Spirit. We hope in Christ. We can spread the joy of Christ. Our peace is in Christ. We love in Christ. The Spirit of Christmas is Christ. Our hope in Christ, is in the knowledge that he died a perfect being, saved us, loves us, and conquered death for us so we don’t have to. Our joy in Christ bubbles over from the way we struggle against the weight of the world, beating it back with a clarity that can only come from Christ. Our peace in Christ surpasses all understanding. Our love in Christ flows from the love that he first gave to us.
The biggest part about our role in the observation of Advent? Have hope. Spread joy. Embody peace. Be love.
Something can be said about this Advent season. It comes around every year. And each year, we look forward to celebrating the coming of Jesus. And you know what’s amazing about the way we celebrate Advent? We know Jesus already came. God has already won. The season of waiting, for us, is just a tradition—a beautiful piece of the liturgical calendar that requires candles and songs of reminder. It’s an opportunity to put ourselves in the sandals of Israel and their days of hope and searching and doubt (and renewed hope again). Death is conquered, our sins are erased, and our souls are won. Today we live in a time of impatient waiting and sometimes begging the Lord to return, but: living in that knowledge and living a life of praise is just a really good way of saying, “Wow. Thank you.”
The joy of hope, peace and love are yours this Christmas. Are you looking for a school that shares the same beliefs you do? Start your application for CVC today! We’re happy to serve pre-K through 12th grades, and to create an educational Christian community for our families that values academic excellence in every way.
admissions@cvc.org | 559-734-2684
