Expectancy

Also available to listen to as an audio podcast

One of the great advent themes is expectancy. Both our daughters are expecting first babies at present, so we’re full of ‘grandparental’ expectation. It’s a fascinating time. You can’t do much about it – except knit in Wendy’s case, and get the cheque book out, in mine. We can’t hasten the births; babies tend to come when they’re ready, whether it suits you or not.  But nevertheless these waiting months are a time of high expectancy - and just a modicum of anxiety.

Perhaps that’s a good cocktail for advent too – high expectancy, and just a modicum of anxiety. Expectancy is predominant. Something very good is on the horizon, something long awaited, transforming, spectacular. The coming of God, light at the end of the tunnel, the end of our longings.

Our advent hymns are full of this note of expectation. ‘Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.’ ‘Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes, the saviour promised long.’ ‘O come, O come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.’ Those old hymn writers knew what they were writing, didn’t they? They had the theology – and they had the inner experience too. They knew what it was like to long for God’s coming in Christ.

I sometimes wonder if we’ve really ‘got it’ with advent. We’re so swamped with Christmas consumerism we can’t hear the quiet voice of advent, and in any case ours isn’t a culture that’s used to waiting. We’re into instant access, instant food, instant gratification of our needs. Delays are not allowed. We want it yesterday. What! – I have to wait 9 months for my grandchild! Get real!

No – I have to get real. Real is waiting for the proper time, God’s time, the coming-together time. Advent’s message of waiting and expectancy is pretty counter-cultural. But how much more special is a gift you’ve longed for and prepared yourself for, and which comes at the proper time when everything is ready. Christmas used to be like that because we’d held our breath for so long through advent. Can we hold back the flood? Can we travel gently through advent?

I said advent is also a time with a modicum of anxiety. What’s that about? Well, traditionally Christians have reflected on the four last things in advent – heaven, hell, death and judgement. I don’t want to spoil the party but I do think again our forebears in the faith knew a thing or two. There’s a serious need for most of us to get off our arrogant little soap box and accept that we are accountable. We are accountable to God, who loves us to bits but like any good parent isn’t equally happy with all our selfishness. Advent asks us to look steadily at ourselves in the light of God’s good ordering of the world.

So 2008 should be a bumper year for our family. But before that there’s Christmas. And before that there’s advent. Let’s take them in order, and make the most of every stage of God’s calendar. Now is the time for expectant waiting.