Wait for the Lord; be strong

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27.14

"I know that the messiah will come, and when he comes he will tell us everything!" When I hear those words spoken to Jesus by the woman at the well they trigger in me the memory that Jesus birth, death and resurrection was foretold and written in scriptures centuries before he was born. To me just as exciting is his reply "I am he, I who am talking to you."

In the shopping haze before Christmas it is good to break off a piece of time and use it to stand back and think about the prophecies that foretold Jesus coming.

For centuries the Jews had waited for the coming of the messiah. The prophets had predicted that he was to come. There was a period when to some it seemed that God had gone silent. But his birth was as predicted slowly and inevitably rolling towards them.

We as humans are not very good at waiting. But God is good and sometimes his perfect plan has to unfold slowly, or even majestically, in order to give us the fullness of his mercy. His saving hand is over the lives of all.

Today we live at the crossroads for humanity, and the extraordinary time between the first coming of the messiah and the second coming. It has been preordained. We must be as sure as that Samaritan women was and speak out into our own lives in faith "I know that the messiah will come"

We need also to have the faith of Simeon. A man who listened to the Holy Spirit  - who as he held the baby Jesus in his arms said "with my own eyes I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel" and then "this child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts." Read the whole passage here Luke 2:22-38

Also for reflection Luke 1:39-56 Mary's song as she is full of joy is beautiful!

Dear Lord, as we prepare for this Christmas renew our faith. Give us again the excitement of knowing your joy in out hearts. Amen