Luke 1:46-55

Waiting is hard. I wonder how many people in this room like to wait for things. Anyone? We don’t really like waiting. That’s why things like fast food and high speed internet and instant mashed potatoes were created. We are all at least a little bit like Veruca Salt in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, always saying, “I want it right now.”

There was a study done back in the 1970s at Stanford University where a young child was placed in a room and given a marshmallow. They were told that they could eat that marshmallow right away. Or, if they waited for 15 minutes, they would get a second marshmallow. Then they left and watched what happened from another room. Some children gave in and ate the marshmallow. Others stared at it for a long time or poked at it. Some even licked it, but did not eat it. Still others closed their eyes or turned away or made noise to distract themselves from the temptation. Those who last the 15 minutes got their second marshmallow as promised.

Now, on its face, there doesn’t seem much there to really tell us anything important. But that wasn’t the end of the study. The researchers followed the children for years afterward. And what they found was rather interesting. They found that the kids who were able to wait did better in school, were able to manage stress more effectively, and had healthier relationships. Now, you might wonder why that would be the case. The belief is that waiting and hoping for the future changes how we live in the present.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would become pregnant and give birth to the son of God, she was undoubtedly confused and probably a bit scared. But the promise of a child, and not an ordinary child but a child who would be holy and the son of the Most High, gave her hope. The wait would be long, but it would be worth it. We see Mary’s hope in the song she sings in Luke chapter one, the song that Kathy just read. Mary sang, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

In the hymn we just sang, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” we heard that same hope, hope in a coming Savior, who will free us from the bondage of sin and death. This hymn was written by Charles Wesley, a Methodist minister, in the 1700s. In 1744, Wesley looked at the situation of the world around him. He saw a great divide among the people of Great Britain and longed for something better. He considered Haggai chapter 2 verse 7 that says, “I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.” He longed for the splendor of God to surround the people. With all that in mind, he wrote these words:

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

As we celebrate Christ’s birth, we also look forward to Christ’s promised return, when he will set us free and give us rest and deliver us from all of the division and hatred and death that plagues our world. The waiting is hard. We don’t want life to be as difficult and painful as it is right now. But the reward of our waiting will be great. The reward of our waiting will be the healing of the world. So it is with hope in our hearts that we proclaim, “Come, thou long-expected Jesus.” Amen.