In a
German prison camp in World War II, undiscovered by the guards, some
Americans built a homemade radio. One day news came that the German high
command had surrendered, ending the war. Because of a communications breakdown,
however, the guards did not yet know this. As word spread among the prisoners,
a loud celebration broke out. For 3 days, they sang, waved at guards, and
shared jokes over meals. On the fourth day, they awoke to find that all the
Germans had fled. Their waiting had come to an end.
A number
of Bible stories center on waiting: Abraham waiting for a child (Gen. 12–21).
The Israelites waiting for deliverance from Egypt. Prophets waiting for the
fulfillment of their own predictions. The disciples waiting for Jesus to act
like the powerful Messiah they anticipated. Jesus’ final words at the end of
Revelation are “I am coming quickly,” followed by an urgent, echoing prayer,
“Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (22:20). For this, we still wait.
Here’s the question I ask myself: As we wait, why are we so often fearful and anxious? We can, like the Allied prisoners, act on the good news we say we believe. What is faith in God, after all, but believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse?
Waiting tries our faith and so we wait in hope. (RBC)
