Each of these past four Mondays our 2021 Advent series ‘advent 4, his coming’ has focused on Old Testament scriptures that specifically reference the Messiah’s coming. Looking to an unknown future time, prophets prayed and spoke as messengers of Him; people waited, in moments patiently and at times in anger. But all looked for a coming. Today I sit with you and meditate on this prayerful desire of the past, for our Saviour ‘to come.’
What does it mean this, 2021 Holiday season, to the church, to people, to expect a ‘coming?’
First, consider, how many family members have not been together for over a year due to the pandemic: untold numbers desire friends and family members to be, to come together. There is pain in silences and absences, in the lack of comings, the invitations not given or accepted. And the pandemic is not the only reason there is no voiced request, ‘come to my house.’ And some families are fractured, broken. There is no invitations; no comings.
I have a friend who has not seen their grandchildren or children in over a year. The pandemic and unforgiving of past hurts has isolated them from family, from friendship. The other day they spoke, prayerfully, of the desire to be invited in. They would drop everything to go in response. Why?
They do desire to be asked to come. To see babies and children. Friends and family.
And yet, think, how much more did the shepherds and the Magi; the angels and the prophets of Jesus’ time desire for the Messiah, the Saviour to come,…?
Deeply, they desire His Advent, His coming. Even more than family or country, as the Magi who left all to see… even more than their sheep and livelihood, as shepherds who left Bethlehem’s fields…and even more than angels who leave heaven for earth to sing of their and our Emmanuel.
Our Lord promises, not just that he will come in response to prayers, but we will also come to him, Psalm 65 states this,
‘O You who listen to prayer, all people will come to You.’ and from another pray filled Psalm,
Psalm 86:9
‘All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.’
Family and friends may be too hurting, or to frightened of Covid to invite others this season to come to them.
But our Lord not only invites us in but also comes down from the heavens to come to us.
He promises to invite us in and to come. Always. He comes in answer to prayers and praise as we glorify his name. He comes.
My prayer: Emmanuel, come. Be with all the uninvited, the hurting, the lonely.
Come.
charles osewalt's blog 
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