The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.”
Jeremiah 33:14-16 (NRSV)
“How long, O Lord, how long?” If you are like me, you have asked that question over and over. In last week’s Thanksgiving devotion I wrote about giving thanks in the midst of suffering, and that this posture of thankfulness can lead to profound spiritual growth. Through offering to God our sufferings—those uncontrollable things that happen to us or are done to us—we can find ourselves more keenly aware of God’s presence as we participate in the sufferings of Christ. And, giving thanks in the midst of suffering helps us to focus outwardly on God’s mission, rather than inwardly on our pain.
Now we are in Advent, a season in which our longing for final reconciliation becomes perhaps the most vivid. Surrounded by suffering, warfare, danger, turmoil, chaos, and death we cry, “How long, O Lord?” The Church, in fact all of creation, groans with pregnant anticipation of the full manifestation of Jesus’ reconciling and re-creating incarnation.
And we wait.
Waiting certainly is a passive posture. I spent 10 hours in a hospital waiting room this past Monday as my wife had surgery. But, there is another sense of the word “wait,” related to the watchful service performed by a food server or hospitality attendant. This more active waiting finds ultimate expression in our participation in service of God’s mission, reconciling the entire created order to himself.
This Advent, while we wait quietly, passively, attentively, let’s also wait actively, joyfully, serving God and one another through his infinite love poured out extravagantly in and through us.
May you and yours have a most blessed Advent!
The Lord be with you,
James R. Hart, President
Annual Report Now Available
We at IWS are so thankful for the Lord’s bountiful blessings during this past year, and for your support of our crucial mission of worship renewal. Please take a moment to read the 2015 Annual Report. I think you will find it to be an enjoyable and interesting read. Join us in thanking all who have made this year an unprecedented success! Please forward this link to interested friends and potential students.
During this season of gift giving, please consider a substantial year-end gift to the ministry of IWS. By investing in the lives of our students, you can be assured that your support will have world-wide impact as worship renewal spreads across the country and around the globe. We not only appreciate your participation and generosity, we depend on it!
Checks can be made out to IWS, noted “IWS Fund” and/or “Scholarship Fund” and sent to IWS, 4001 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207. Your gift should be postmarked by December 31 to be counted in this calendar year. Donations may also be made online through our website. Gifts may be designated in memory or honor of a loved one, and/or may be anonymous. All gifts are tax-deductible.