The Final Answer

Hurry up and wait.

What ​ child​ ​ is​ ​ this?​ ​ ​ He​ ​ ​is ​ ​the ​ Messiah,​ ​ ​the ​ Christ,​ ​ the​ ​ ​Lord, ​ the​ ​ ​ One ​ we​ ​have​ ​ ​been ​waiting​ ​ ​for ​ ​all these ​ years!​ ​ ​ Kids​ ​ around​ ​ the​ ​ ​ world​ ​have ​ the​ ​ hardest​ ​ ​time​ ​waiting ​ until​ ​ Christmas​ ​ morning​ ​ ​arrives. For ​ many,​ ​ the​ ​ longest​ ​ night​ ​ of​ ​ waiting​ ​ ​of ​ all​ ​ 365​ ​ ​nights ​ of​ ​ ​the​ ​calendar ​is​ ​ ​the ​ one​ ​ ​landing ​ ​between Christmas ​ Eve​ ​ and​ ​ Christmas​ ​ morning.​ ​ ​ ​ Will​ ​the ​ waiting​ ​ ever​ ​ ​cease?​ ​ ​Will ​ ​the ​ ​dawn ​ of​ ​ ​Christmas morning ​ ever​ ​ arrive?​ ​ ​ How​ ​ ​much ​ longer​ ​ ​until ​ ​we ​ ​can​ leave​ ​ our​ ​ ​beds ​ and​ ​ open​ ​ ​the ​ morning​ ​ ​with celebration ​ and​ ​ joy?​ ​ ​ It​ ​ is​ ​ hard​ ​ to​ ​​wait ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ arrival.​

We ​ are​ ​ called​ ​ to​ ​ be​ ​ the​ ​​waiting ​ people...let​ ​ me​ ​ explain.​

The ​ theme,​ ​ command,​ ​ and​ ​ call​ ​ to​ ​ "wait"​ ​ ​is​ ​one ​ that​ ​ ​recurs ​ over​ ​​and ​ ​over ​ throughout​ ​ the​ ​ Old​ ​ and​ ​ ​New Testaments ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ Bible.​ ​ ​​ Waiting ​ on​ ​ ​the ​ ​Lord ​ is​ ​not​ ​ intended​ ​ to​ ​ ​be ​ ​a ​ passive​ ​​part ​ of​ ​ ​life. ​​ ​Rather, biblical ​ waiting​ ​ is​ ​ meant​ ​ to​ ​ be​ ​ ​done ​ with​ ​ active​ ​ engagement.​ ​ ​ ​When ​ ​waiting ​ is​​ ​mentioned ​ ​in ​ ​the ​ Old​ Testament, ​ the​ ​ emphasis​ ​ revolves​ ​ around​ ​ ​the ​ ​ daily​ ​walk ​ with​ ​ God​ ​ and​​ ​the ​ ​need ​ to​ ​ wait​ ​ on​ ​ God's​ provision ​ and​ ​ care​ ​ within​ ​ the​ ​ ​pressures ​ ​ and​ ​needs ​ of​ ​ our​ ​ ​ life.​ ​ ​The ​ primary​ ​ ​emphasis ​ ​of ​ waiting​ ​ that​ is ​ mentioned​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ New​ ​ Testament​ ​ centers​ ​ ​on ​ waiting​ ​ for​ ​ ​the ​ ​return ​ ​of​ ​Jesus. ​ ​ The​ ​ ​waiting ​ ​for ​ ​Jesus' second ​ advent​ ​ should​ ​ have​ ​ an​ ​ ​impact ​ on​ ​ ​how ​ ​we ​ ​position ​ and​ ​ live​ ​ our​ ​ ​ lives ​ ​as ​ followers​ ​ of​ ​ His​ ​ ​as ​ ​we continue ​ to​ ​ walk​ ​ through​ ​ life​ ​ ​in ​ our​ ​ day​ ​ ​to ​ day​ ​ relationship​ ​ with​ ​​Him ​ ​through ​ the​ ​ ​power ​ ​of ​ ​His ​ ​Holy Spirit.

There ​ are​ ​ seven​ ​ primary​ ​ words​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ ​Bible ​ that​ ​ deal​ ​ ​with ​ ​ the ​ ​subject ​ ​of​ ​waiting ​ on​ ​ ​the ​ ​Lord. ​

​ ​Four reside ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ Old​ ​ Testament:​

Qavah ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ bind​ ​ together​ ​ ​ (perhaps ​ by​ ​ twisting​ ​ strands​ ​ ​as ​ ​making​ a​ ​ ​rope), ​ ​2.​ ​Look ​ ​patiently,

3. ​ Tarry​ ​ or​ ​ wait,​ ​ 4.​ ​ Hope,​​ expect,​ ​ look​ ​ eagerly​

Yachal ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ wait,​ ​ to​ ​​hope, ​ to​ ​ ​wait ​ ​expectantly, ​ ​2. ​ ​To ​ ​wait ​ ​with ​ ​trust

Damam ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ wait​ ​ ​in ​ silence,​ ​​to ​ be​ ​ still,​ ​ to​ ​ ​grow​ ​silent, ​ 2.​ ​ To​ ​ ​wait, ​ ​tarry, ​ rest​

Chakah ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ wait,​ ​ ​2. ​ To​ ​ ​tarry, ​ 3.​ ​ To​ ​ long​ ​ for​

Three ​ reside​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ New​ ​ Testament:​

Prosdechomai ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ receive​ ​ to​ ​​ one's ​ self,​ ​ ​receive ​ favorably,​ ​ 2.​ ​ ​Expect, ​ ​look ​ ​for,​ ​wait ​ ​for. ​ ​ ​( The focus ​ of​ ​ this​ ​ word​ ​ is​ ​ on​ ​ ​the ​ coming​​ ​of ​ the​ ​ Lord​ ​ in​ ​​either ​ ​His ​ first​ ​ or​ ​ His​ ​ second​ ​ ​advents.)

Apekdechomai ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ await,​ ​ 2.​ ​ To​ ​ expect​​ ​eagerly. ​ (​ The ​ focus​ ​ of​ ​ ​this ​ word ​ ​is​ ​ ​on ​ the​ ​ ​coming ​ of​ the ​ Lord​ ​ and​ ​ the​ ​ glorious​ ​​blessings ​ that​ ​ ​follow.)

Anameno ​ –​ ​ 1.​ ​ To​ ​ wait​ ​ ​for ​ an​ ​​arrival ​ of​ ​ one​ ​ who​ ​​is ​ ​expected, ​ to​ ​ wait​ ​ ​with ​ ​patience ​ and​ confidence. ​ ​ (​ The ​ literal​ ​ meaning​ ​ of​ ​ this​ ​word​ ​​means ​ to​ ​ wait​ ​ up​ ​ ​as ​ ​a ​ parent​ ​ ​might​ wait​ ​ ​up ​ ​for ​ ​a child ​ to​ ​ come​ ​ home.)​

Patience

Yes, ​ the​ ​ night​ ​ before​ ​ Christmas​ ​ ​may ​ seem​ ​ ​like ​ the​ ​ longest​ ​​night ​ ​of ​ waiting​ ​ during​ ​ ​the ​ ​year.

However, ​ the​ ​ waiting​ ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ advent​ ​ of​ ​ ​Jesus ​ that​ ​ first​ ​ ​Christmas ​ ​had ​ ​been ​ a​ ​ long​ ​ ​time ​ ​coming ​ for​ many ​ generations​ ​ of​ ​ people.​ ​ ​ Luke's​ ​ ​ gospel​ ​depicts ​ ​the ​ waiting​ ​ that​ ​ ​Israel ​ had​ ​ been​ ​ ​engaged ​ with​ ​ ​for centuries:

Luke 2:25–32 HCSB

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, as You promised. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples— a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.

The ​ waiting​ ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ first​ ​ ​arrival ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ ​Lord​ ​was ​ over. ​ ​ ​​The​ ​celebration​ started.​ ​ ​​It​ ​started ​ ​small. ​​ ​But ​ it​ would ​ grow​ ​ through​ ​ the​ ​ years.​ ​ ​ It​ ​ ​ continues​ this​ ​ Christmas​ ​ ​day. ​ ​ ​ Followers​ ​of ​ Jesus​ ​ all​ ​ ​over ​ the​ ​ ​world celebrate ​ the​ ​ waiting​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ Messiah​ ​​is​ over​ ​ with​ ​ regards​ ​ ​ to ​ ​the ​ ​first ​ advent.​ ​​ ​Now, ​ ​the ​ waiting​ continues ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ second​ ​ ​advent. ​ ​ This​ ​ ​waiting ​ ​is ​ not​ ​meant​ ​ to​ ​ be​ ​ ​a​ ​passive ​ waiting​​ ​on ​ the​ ​ ​return ​ ​of the ​ Lord.​ ​ ​ The​ ​ waiting​ ​ is​​ meant​ ​ to​ ​ ​be ​ ​a ​ combination​ ​ of​ ​ relational​ ​​walking ​ ​and ​ waiting​ ​ with​ ​ ​all ​ ​the ​ Old​ Testament ​ emphasis​ ​ of​ ​ it​ ​ being ​​ day​ ​ by​ ​ ​day ​​in ​ ​all ​ our​ ​ circumstances​ ​ ​while ​ ​at ​ the​​ same​​ time​ ​ it​​ being​ ​ ​a longing ​ and​ ​ looking​ ​ and​ ​ positioning​ ​ ​and ​ preparing​ ​ ​of ​ our​ ​ life​ ​​for ​ ​the ​ return​ ​ ​of ​ ​the ​ ​Lord.

Yes, ​ we​ ​ are​ ​ the​ ​ ​waiting ​ people.​

We ​ are​ ​ called​ ​ to​ ​ wait​ ​ with​ ​ trust,​ ​ ​hope, ​ expectant​ ​ provision,​ ​ ​in ​​quiet ​ ​at ​ ​times, ​ yet​ ​ ​always ​ ​knowing ​ He​ is ​ coming​ ​ soon.​

May ​ we​ ​ celebrate​ ​ the​ ​ waiting​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​​first ​ ​advent ​ is​ ​ ​over. ​ ​ May​ ​ ​we ​ ​prepare ​ and​ ​ position​ ​ our​ ​ hearts​ ​ ​and lives ​ day​ ​ by​ ​ day​ ​ as​ ​ we​ ​​continue ​ to​ ​ ​wait ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ second​ ​ advent​ ​ ​to ​ ​take ​ ​place. ​ ​May​ ​ ​ we ​ live​ ​ ​our ​ ​lives with ​ the​ ​ joy​ ​ of​ ​ Christmas​ ​ and ​ ​the​ ​ new​ ​ ​birth ​ that​ ​ is​ ​ ours​ ​ in​ ​ ​our ​ ​own ​ ​ lives ​​when​ ​we ​ put​ ​ ​our ​ ​faith, ​ ​hope and ​ trust​ ​ in​ ​ His.​ ​ ​ May​ ​ we​ ​ never​ ​ ​cease ​ to​ ​ celebrate​ ​ ​as ​ ​we ​ ​continue ​ to​ ​ wait​ ​ ​on ​ ​the ​ Lord.​