During this season of Advent, I cannot help but wonder how long God expects us to wait for His presence. The people of Israel lived in a ridiculously lengthy period of Advent, as they waited for hundreds of years for the Messiah to come into the world. I can barely wait for five minutes, much less years, for Jesus to make his presence known in my life. So, I ask, “How long must we wait to see You?”

     During my Doctoral studies at the Austin Presbyterian School of Theology, I attended a workshop with Rev. Galicia Vasconcelos-Wilkey, a retired Presbyterian minister. During her presentation, she shared an experience of a student who was unsure if waiting for an encounter with God would help her. The woman was a practicing Catholic and went to Rev. Vasconcelos-Wilkey in frustration. The young lady asked the experienced theologian what she should do.

     “Pastor,” the young woman said, “Every day, I walk into a church, dip my fingers into the holy water, and make the sign of the cross, hoping that I will feel a Divine presence. Unfortunately, I feel nothing. Should I stop observing this practice since this ritual does nothing for me?”

     The wise reverend looked at her and said, “My dear, you continue to dip your hand in the water. Never give up your faith practice because I guarantee that God will meet your hand in the water one day.”

     We all experience times when we feel our prayers or faith practices offer us nothing. Although we may think our efforts are in vain, we must hold on because the Divine will one day break through and make its presence known.

     Our commitment to continue to search under every nook and cranny of our spiritual house to prepare for our guest to arrive is the work we must do. We continue getting ready, not because we want a reward, but to meet the risen Christ, whether in the water, a conversation, or an answered prayer. God will meet us in Holy time.

     So, let us prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of the Messiah, doing the difficult spiritual work to fully embrace the wisdom and hope that the Divine promises to bring to us. We are people of faith. Let us live like it.

     O Come, O Come, Emmanuel