Waiting For The Messiah

Those of us who have children or grandchildren who are young know all about the countdown to Christmas. The excitement builds as the days tick off on the calendar and we get closer and closer to the big day. When it gets to the point where there are only one or two days left until Christmas and the presents are wrapped under the tree, the excitement can almost be felt.

Imagine what it was like for those who were awaiting the promised Messiah. The Jewish people were living under terrible conditions when the prophesied time approached. Not only had they been conquered by the Romans but the puppet king, Herod the Great, was a bloodthirsty tyrant who ordered people murdered on a whim. In addition, the spiritual condition of Israel had greatly declined so that many no longer followed the God of their fathers.

But for those who still believed there was hope. The promise had not yet been fulfilled, but they believed that God would do what He said—and He did. 

For us who look back to the birth of Jesus, we also have a promise to which we can look forward. He told us before He left that He would return. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). The fact that He has not yet returned does not make His Second Coming any less likely, and we can wait for Him with confidence.

Today’s Discipleship Principle: God always keeps His promises, and even if the fulfillment of them is delayed, we should keep believing.