Waiting

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Waiting

 

Ok, time to be a bit reflective. As I write, Sweet T is officially 6 days late, which I am told is not a big deal with a first baby.  Last Thursday, I wrote about the rearranging of our room, which for me (Travis) was a needle popping my patience and ability to concentrate on other things.  My sleep has become much lighter as many times I am awakened by Andrea’s frequent trips to the bathroom, hoping that I hear her tell me of water breaking, contractions, or any signs of impending labor. On several mornings, I woke up when the sun shines through our window at 6:15 and peek over at the crib, commenting to Andrea, “still empty, I see.” I find myself having hushed conversations with Andrea’s tummy (I can’t speak through her belly button anymore because it vanished a couple months ago), telling Sweet T of all the fun things that we can do together when he/she comes out. Sure, the excitement comes and goes, as I am sometimes able to distract myself with Gumuz learning, reading two really good books (a biography on AW Tozer and “Roots”), or trying to track down work permit details.

 

Sure, I’ve waited for things in the past, but this time feels different. Waiting for things like birthdays, family vacations, graduations, our wedding day, and move to Africa, was similar in that there is the desire to live the future today. However, these strongly emotional times of waiting were different because all of those had points of time in which they were scheduled to start. Early on, the due date acted like a scheduled event, but as that date gets closer, the realization comes…this process could start any minute and I wake up tomorrow a father! Every meal we eat could be the last as just two of us! Because of this constant uncertainty, I can’t tell myself, you still have a whole week to get this figured out in your head or to prepare those final details. Instead, we need to always be ready for what most people look back upon as “the happiest moment of their lives.”

 

I have been reflecting upon this strange feeling of something that soon is SURE TO HAPPEN, something that is INCREDIBLY EXCITING or worthy of GREAT ANTICIPATION, and yet something whose arrival is IMMINENT (meaning it could come at any moment). Although these three characteristics are somewhat unique when it comes to our lives’ events, there is one other event that perfectly characterizes all three – Jesus’ second coming. Because Jesus fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament predictions in his first coming, we can say with confidence that Jesus’ foretold return is SURE TO HAPPEN. Because of the wonderful ramifications of meeting Jesus in the air and being finally free from sin, Jesus’ second coming is INCREDIBLY EXCITING and worthy of GREAT ANTICIPATION. And lastly, because no one but the Father knows the time and date, Jesus’ second coming is IMMINENT. Being in the midst of firstborn “waiting tension,” I pray that the Spirit would move my mind and heart to have this same feeling, with AT LEAST the same intensity toward the return of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior.