The Eighteenth Day of Advent, 2016

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Therefore all generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generation.  Matthew 1:17

Forty-two generations! God promised Abraham that through him He would make a nation of people so great that they could not be counted (and that includes me as a spiritual child of Abraham), and it took forty-two generations just to get to Christ! The expected age was four score and ten, so that was a lot of years!

I live in a “five-minute personal pan pizza” generation! I want what is going to happen to happen now – no waiting, immediate gratification.  It’s amazing to see that God, who could have done everything by the snap of His fingers, by a simple Word from His mouth, waited so long to see His great purpose accomplished! I know that time for Him is not as it is for me, but I’m still amazed that He would allow so much time to pass, waiting for the perfect time to do something so absolutely spectacular as the birth of His Only Son.

The next time I am in a hurry for Christmas to get here, to “hurry up” preparation for all the wonder of the celebration, I need to remember that God waited patiently for forty-two generations!

I am really not good, Father, about waiting! I want to celebrate now! I want the warm and wonderful feelings of the Christmas season to come now! Remind me of your patience in waiting for the perfect time and of the importance of preparation for that time. And then don’t let me miss a moment of the wonder! Amen

And Then It Was Christmas: A Journey Toward Christmas
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, 2006,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator.