So far today, I have sat around more than a bit, waiting for a delivery van to arrive, at time unspecified bearing gift unknown.  The only reason I am doing this is that giver far away warned me that this would be the case.

I am curious to discover what it is that will be arriving at my doorstep later today (but not opened until tomorrow) and grateful to the friends who have arranged this surprise.  But it would be dishonest to pretend that sitting around all day is not my cup of tea - especially as I do have to go out later first to do some visiting and then to attend a meeting.

All of which seems to have something to say to me about Advent waiting, and reminds me of the characteristics of 'active waiting' on which I preached in the not so distant past.  There is a kind of impatient patience, I think... a patience that is never resigned to an interminable (or seemingly so) wait, but employs its time anticipating, both looking forward to, and pre-empting, that for which it waits.

I think this is part of the mystery of Advent... at one level we know it is a maximum of four weeks until Chritmas, at another the wait for the eschaton is unending.  At one level we know what is coming, at another we haven't a clue.  part of the challenge, if I can borrow some words from a hymn, is to "live tomorrow's life today"... to be signs and symbols that point or direct or draw others into this same mystery.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

I'm not good at waiting, God,

I want to get this done and move on to the next thing

I'm not good at waiting, God,

I don't know how best to employ this gift of time

I'm not good at waiting, God,

I don't find 'being' as attractive or engaging as 'doing'

Show me how to wait for you

To wait with you

To learn how to 'be'

To delight more fully in the present moment

To be still, or at least to slow down

And discover your gift of patience

Amen.

A footnote of sorts!  If nothing else the last couple of years have affected the way I view what may be termed "empty" time - unplanned hanging around, delays, people arriving late, etc.  This is definitely not "time to kill" or "wasted time" it is a precious gift of "extra time" or "time to be".  The danger is that as more time elapses, I will forget that again... I hope I won't.