Posted By Michael Breznau on Dec 6, 2019

Our effervescent daughter let out an uncharacteristic sigh and said, “When are we eevveerrr going to arrive?”

“Hey, yeah dad, are we there yet? When are we gonna get to Aunt Sarah’s house?” our ten-year-old son chimed in.

We’d only been driving an easy 15 minutes of the 45 minute drive to my sister’s home for Thanksgiving dinner. So I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

“Okay you silly kids. Listen, we’ve only been driving for a short time. But we will arrive very soon. Just hold on and enjoy the ride,” I remarked, as my dear wife rolled her twinkling eyes.

In-Between

The term Advent could be succinctly translated “arrival” or “coming.” The season of Advent dials in on the beautiful yet also surprising biblical reflections of Jesus the Christ’s first arrival as a newborn baby – God-incarnate. The eternal Word took on human form (John 1:1-3, 14)!

But when celebrated fully and accurately, Advent also focuses our hope on the Savior’s second arrival. Christ’s first coming is proof for the second. For just as He came as the Suffering-Servant-Messiah, so He will return as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16).

Yet here we are in-between.

Sometimes we wonder like children on a long holiday road trip, “Are we there yet?”

In the somewhere between, we are prone to grow weary, afraid, and oft-impatient. Yet across the ages, an ancient prophet reminds us: “Behold, your king is coming to you.” (Zech. 9:9b)

Immediately after proclaiming the royal announcement, Zechariah brought two mountain-peak promises together, even though the time-valley between them is not yet complete:

“He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech. 9:9c)

Of course, we recognize this promise as already fulfilled in the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ (John 12:14-15). But let’s look closely at the very next verse:

“I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” (Zech. 9:10)

We’re not there yet. Already…but also not yet. There will be no need for chariots and horses (the war machines of the Ancient Near East). All battles and fights will cease. How? Because Jesus the True Messiah will come to reign from His throne. Every nation will bow to His righteous, just, and perfect scepter. And the border of His territory? The entire earth.

But today…

Wars run rampant. The latest newsflash incites fear. Our nation’s future seems more uncertain than ever before. Half of America is angry with our president while the other half is angry with those who are angry at our president. Accurate fact-checking appears to be a pipe-dream. Trust in civil leaders, elected officials, and pastors is at an all-time low. No one seems to believe anyone anymore. North Korea, Russia, and a field of Mid-East nations threaten at our doorstep.

So we sit in the back seat of the minivan and shout up, “Are we there yet, God? Are we almost there?!”

Like a patient father, God speaks: “Not quite yet, children. Hold on. Just be patient. We’re almost there.”

As we hear His patient voice through the words of prophets long-ago, we remember again the reality of Christ’s first coming and know it is proof of the soon-coming second. And we will say and sing and let it resound aloud in our hearts this Advent season, “Okay, Daddy. We will wait. We’ll trust you all the way home.”

In God’s Vineyard,

________________

For the Family 

An enthusiastic team of volunteers bustled around our beautiful facilities yesterday here at Mayfair Bible Church, decorating for Christmas in every which way. They can’t wait to see your smiles this Sunday as you soak in the sights and sounds of the season. I encourage you to grab a nice seat up front this Sunday, pray for the Word to work into our hearts, and look toward those around you who may need a word of encouragement, note of thanks, or act of service to experience the love of Christ through you.

You’ll find the blessing of giving always outweighs the blessing of receiving. Just as Jesus said, “It is far more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35b)

Walk in hope.