Almost, but not Quite

It is the season of Advent.  It is the come, but coming again.  The great anticipation.  The "almost, but not quite" time of year.

Yesterday was the quintessential day of advent.  A bitter-sweet day; one full of both joy and sorrow.  

I woke up and the boys all went to the church for their monthly Men's Breakfast.  Yippee!  I got to read and eat in the quiet of the morning.  Then, I received a call from a neighbour telling me that a friend had suddenly, unexpectedly died.  Joy mixed with sorrow.

Later in the day we decorated our Christmas tree.  The boys were giddy, absolutely giddy with excitement over this.  It is one of the best family times we have all year.  We pour over each ornament, remembering the occasion we got it, or the friend who gave it to us.  Then, we received another call.  This time it was friends asking for help in the heat of rather serious marital problems.  Again, joy mixed with sorrow. 

In this season we remember Christ born as a baby.  We remember that God gave us the best gift--Himself come down to rescue us from our sin.  And we wait...we wait for that great second coming, when Christ will return and make all the hurt and broken things new.  While we wait we see both the old and the new; we see the hurt, the broken, the death all mixed with the joy of the Kingdom {of Christ} that is already come.  What a complex time we navigate.  The Kingdom that has come, but is not yet fully here.  

Oh Lord, that you would come!  While we wait to celebrate your birth, we cling to the hope of your coming once again.