“Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” – Isaiah 11:1

Anyone who has ever had a garden or a field or a fruit tree understands active waiting. What I mean is that you have to wait patiently while also putting in effort. You tend the garden, water the field, and prune the tree. You are excited for the crop, all the while doing what needs to be done to make sure you are ready for it to come. In a similar way, this is part of the fun of having children at home around Christmas time. These past weeks we have been buying a Christmas tree, decorating, putting events on the calendar, and my wife and I have been discussing gifts. Everyone is excited for Christmas day to come, so we make sure we are ready for that day once it is here.

In the Old Testament they were looking forward to the birth of the Messiah. But this was not a passive waiting. Those who truly believed God would send a Savior, desired for their own lives and their neighbors to be ready for this incredible event. This time of year, we are looking back on this event. But this celebration of the Messiah being born should make us remember that Jesus will be coming back one day. Just like the garden, the field, the tree, or the Old Testament people, we should be actively awaiting this next event. Is your life ready? Is your family ready? Are your friends and neighbors ready? Tend the garden, water the field, and prune the tree. Do all you can to make sure that everyone around you is ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, teach us to actively await the return of Jesus Christ. Show us what work needs to be done, fill us with a desire to do it, then empower us and equip us for that task.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon