ANTICIPATION

Advent, the season of waiting for God’s intervention, begins! No, that was not a headline in any of the news services I follow. Instead the season of anticipation appears to be focused on when the US Congress will degenerate into total chaos, when the President of the USA will do or say something impeachable, when North Korea will stumble into a nuclear war where everyone loses. Some are anticipating the surrender of Christians any day to the sweeping forces of newly defined sexual categories and to the cultural correctness that forces Bible believing evangelicals to forgo any claim to biblical authority.

In my faith family people are anticipating surgery, funeral and memorial services, and even death. Will God intervene and miraculously heal? Will God intervene and make surgery unnecessary? Will God intervene and wipe away all the hurt and grief that death brings?

Advent begins with a call to remember the prophets whom God sent through history to call His people to Himself. Peter, one of Jesus’ earliest followers wrote these words to believers:

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated. They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things.” (1 Peter 1:10–12, HCSB)

“These things have now been announced.”

Celebrating Advent, anticipating the intervention of God, challenges us to recover the longing and desire that God will intervene. Inn Luke’s gospel Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist speaks after nine months of silence,

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and provided redemption for His people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets in ancient times; salvation from our enemies and from the clutches of those who hate us.” (Luke 1:68–71, HCSB)

Notice the past tense in which he spoke. John Piper reminds us “For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: “God has visited and redeemed!”[1]

Advent begins! God’s intervention is assured! Celebrate His promises and prepare your heart and mind for all that God is doing in fulfilling His purpose in Jesus Christ.

[1] Piper, John. Good News of Great Joy: Daily Readings for Advent (p. 5). Desiring God. Kindle Edition.