Waiting is a spiritual practice.

To wait is to stay where one is and to delay taking action until the appropriate time.

To wait is to remain in readiness, to be watchful and prepared for what is to come.

To wait does not mean that we are doing nothing.

           Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage. Psalm 17.

Sometimes we are impatient, anxious and desperate in our waiting.

We try to force something to happen sooner.

We take our frustration out on people around us,

who have no more control over the situation than we do.

We can be miserable in our waiting and make others miserable too.

           For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecc.3:1

But we can also choose to engage waiting as a spiritual practice,

and be hopeful and expectant in our waiting.

We can invite the fruits of Spirit to grow and flourish in our lives:   Galatians 5:22

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generousity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As Paul says to the Galatians, there is no law against such things. There are no COVID measures that restrict these fruits of the Spirit at work in our lives.

          Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. Psalm 33.

We can make our waiting a spiritual practice and turn our waiting over to God.

For God has made a home in the midst of our waiting.

Before we ever experienced this disruption of life as we knew it,

God was already established here, ready to hold us, comfort us, encourage us, inspire us, and challenge us to use this time of waiting to deepen our relationship with the divine. God is in our waiting, urging us to seek justice, live kindness and walk humbly.

            Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found

            by God at peace. 2 Peter 3:14

This is a season of waiting, this Advent time.

But we are also waiting for the pandemic to end,

waiting for a return in-person gatherings, hugs and meals.

We are waiting, o yes, we are waiting; when will this waiting end?

Let us bring our waiting into God’s presence, making it a spiritual practice,

and allow our waiting to be transformed by God’s grace.

           But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,

            they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

            they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

We’re Waiting, O God, We’re Waiting

We have written an introit especially for this Advent 2020, picking up some of the phrases we have heard people express about the pandemic. If you’d like the music, just let us know. Here are the words to pray and hold in your hearts:

We’re waiting, o God, we’re waiting.

Time is slow and time is fast.

We’re waiting, o yes, we’re waiting.

How long will this waiting last?

We’re waiting, o God, we’re waiting.

We pray that your kingdom come.

We’re waiting, o God, we’re waiting.

We pray that your will be done.

We’re waiting, O God, we’re waiting.

We are resting in your grace.

We’re waiting and as we’re waiting,

we lean into your embrace.

                                              Words: Susan Lukey Music: David Robertson ©2020

Many blessings,

Rev. Susan & Rev. David

www.highriverunitedchurch.org