The message of Advent is that our longings will indeed be fulfilled.

By Roy Harryman

It seems all of us are in a season of waiting. It may even be one of yearning.

We might long for a different job, a new relationship or a change in the political scene. Waiting can be productive. Consider the proverbial sayings, “Good things come to those who wait” and “Patience is a virtue.” The key, however, is to wait for the right things and to never put our hope in counterfeits that will fail to satisfy our souls.

This leads us to Advent season, Nov. 28-Dec. 24. Advent, celebrated by Christians since 600 AD, is derived from a Latin word that means “arriving.” It conveys an air of expectancy, an anticipation of a divine homecoming.

“The key is to wait for the right things and to never put our hope in counterfeits that will fail to satisfy our souls.”

The meaning of advent is that, no matter our circumstances, Jesus is worth waiting for. In one sense, no waiting is required: He broke into the world at Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Yet in other ways, we’re still waiting for Him. That is, we’re holding on for His intervention in our lives. This can take the form of earnestly praying for our health to improve, for a loved one to turn from self-destructive habits or for the means to pay off a debt.

There is also the waiting Christians believe will come to an end when Jesus Christ is fully revealed and says “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21). In this “new heaven and a new earth … God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Advent, in many Christian traditions, celebrates Jesus’ birth as a transcendent event that can lead us to an authentic experience of joy, peace, love and hope. It’s more than cliches and “the holiday spirit.” This hope can transform us, if we dare to let it.

I invite you to join me in experiencing Jesus in a way that goes beyond fuzzy feelings, sentimentality and hot cocoa that goes cold. Imagine the possibilities.

Roy Harryman is a regular guy who is thankful for God’s work in his life and is looking forward to its continuation and fulfillment.