This post, by Heather Weir, is a reflection on “As We Wait” sermon as part of the “In the Name of Jesus” sermon series.
The scripture reading for Sunday started off like this: “Do not be afraid little flock, for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” But the kingdom of God isn’t quite all here yet. We are in the waiting time, the passage reminds us, waiting for the kingdom of God to come completely.
Elaine reminded us that our waiting should be active waiting. We settle down to wait. We plant gardens, like the exiles in Babylon. Like them we work for the peace and flourishing of our city. (See Jeremiah 29:4-7.) But waiting is still difficult at times. In the past year I know I’ve more than once said “Any time now Jesus, you can come any time now. I don’t see how to wait any more.”
I’ve been reading a book called After You Believe by N.T. Wright. In the piece I read on Sunday morning, Wright talked about patience and hope – both are aspects of Christian virtue, things that should characterize kingdom living. Patient hope is the virtue needed in waiting for the not yet of God’s kingdom to become real.
Like all virtue, patient hope becomes part of my own character through practice. I need to make a choice. I choose to patiently look to the future with hope. In this choosing, God works in me through the Holy Spirit. I can ask for God’s help in being patiently hopeful. But only practice makes this a part of my character.
I’ve been challenged by this book on Christian virtue to start making different choices every day. What are the habits I want to cultivate? What daily choices do I make that grow Christian virtue so that kingdom living becomes second nature to me? This weeks sermon renewed the challenge for me to cultivate patient hope in the way I interact with the world.