When the Wait is Long

Jesus’ birth ended a period of 400 years of silence from God. The angel Gabriel had brought personal messages to Zechariah and to Mary, and we don’t know how young Simeon was when God promised he’d see the Messiah before he died, but these were private revelations. The nation of Israel as a whole heard nothing. Not even a whisper.

400 years.

No prophets. No angelic visitors. Silence.

A remnant of Israel had returned from exile and begun to rebuild, as God had promised.

He also promised a Messiah, a King to come who would rule in power and justice and break the people’s bondage for good.

Nobody expected the King to suffer and die first.

Nobody expected to wait so long.

400 years.

Are you waiting today?

God hasn’t forgotten, or changed His mind, or discovered He can’t do what He promised.

He’s waiting too, for the best time to unveil what’s coming.

May His peace, hope, love and joy sustain each of us in the waiting.

And Merry Christmas. Christ has come.

6 thoughts on “When the Wait is Long

    1. Janet Sketchley

      Amen indeed. I knew about the long silence, but it hadn’t clicked with me that God brought the people back from Babylon, spoke for a while after that (mostly “get your act together”) and then just stopped. But we can trust Him in the silence because He hasn’t changed when we don’t hear Him.

      Reply
  1. vnesdoly

    Four-hundred years is a long time!! (For us that would be sometime in the 1600s). I love the expression “the fullness of time.” Even if we’re waiting long, the clock is ticking toward that fullness. And a Merry Christmas back to you!!

    Reply
    1. Janet Sketchley

      Love “in the fullness of time.” Michael Card’s song, Maranatha, has the wonderful line “it’s not yet the hour, but the minutes are ticking away.” May we worship in the waiting.

      Reply
  2. gladwellmusau

    Janet,
    This one is timely for me. I haven’t yet waited that long so I need to put my trust in Him and His perfect time! Do have a blessed Christmas and a favorable New Year in Him.

    Love and blessings!

    Reply

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