What’s coming next?
It’s a question we often ask ourselves as we do our best to prepare for work, or for a family function, or try to figure out how to ensure one child arrives at their sports practice, while the other children get to their respective birthday parties and music lessons on time.
It is certainly great to live 'in the moment' and we possibly don’t do that enough in our culture. However, we all know that being prepared for a situation makes us feel better placed to deal with whatever it is we might have to face. Life certainly doesn’t always afford us this luxury, as sometimes stressful or difficult events simply arrive unannounced. Where we can, however, we like to know what’s coming next, as this can help us enormously, not just to be prepared, but also to have a sense of hope if we’re in the midst of something difficult.
In the church, the season of Advent is not so much about what is coming next, but who is coming next. At this time of year, we anticipate Jesus’ coming at Christmas as the Saviour of the world. He is the hope that God truly understands everything we could ever experience, for Jesus came as a human being to walk this path of life with us. As well as recognising Jesus’ solidarity with us as a human who experienced life’s struggles, we also look forward to Jesus coming in glory, when all of the bitterness, pain and brokenness of this life will come to an end. Knowing that this is what’s coming next gives us great hope, for Jesus cares deeply about us and does not want any trying or desperate circumstances of this life to leave us feeling that this is all there is.
I am sure there are things in our lives that give us reason to feel disappointed, or that the future could appear to be pretty bleak. Recent events in Adelaide, and others from around the world, would certainly seem to be more than enough cause to despair. May knowing what and who will be coming next – Jesus and his new heaven and earth – give you a sense of hope that sustains you, so that God’s Holy Spirit may bring light into any dark places in your life.
Dale Gosden
College Pastor