Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-20, Galatians 4:4-7
I spent weeks researching the perfect bag. I know. So dumb. The thing is, I had long talks with my bestie, ChatGPT, about this bag. I wanted something stylish enough that it didn’t scream “diaper bag” but big enough to haul, well, diapers, wipes, snacks, sippy cups, etc. I wanted something that said “cool girl” more than it said “spit-up cleaner.” After scrolling, searching, and reading reviews, I finally ordered THE one. For some reason, the bag I wanted in the color I needed was discontinued, so I went on a hunt and I finally found someone selling this particular bag in this pristine color with the tags still on! Then came the real waiting…refreshing the tracking page, watching it creep from “Processing” to “Shipped” to “Out for Delivery.” What a great use of my time and energy.
I’m not shocked to report that like anything else in this world, the cool-adjacent non-mommish bag couldn’t deliver the thrill I was seeking. When it comes to bags, it’s only a matter of minutes before Cheerios are spilled, sippy cups leak, and the shiny, new bag becomes just like every other mom-tote I’ve owned. My long-awaited package was delivered, but it couldn’t really deliver. It couldn’t live up to my expectations.
And that’s the thing about waiting in this world. It usually ends in a letdown. The thing we long for comes, but it disappoints or breaks or doesn’t last.
At Christmas, kids wait for presents. They count down the days, staring at shiny boxes. We adults wait, too, for different things. We wait for answers to prayers, for clarity about the future, for healing in our homes or our bodies.
Waiting is a part of life. And waiting is hard.
God’s people in the Old Testament knew this deeply. They waited for centuries for the Messiah. They heard the promises, they longed for the rescuer, and they passed the hope down through generations.
Sometimes it must have felt like God had gone silent. Like the waiting wasn’t working. But Galatians 4:4–7 says, “When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.”
At just the right time, the waiting ended. The package arrived. It didn’t disappoint.
The angels proclaimed it in Luke 2:11, “Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” The Savior had come. Hope was here. Not too soon. Not too late. Right on time.
Jesus really showed up. And He is not a letdown. He is more than anyone could imagine or expect. He is the rescuer who redeems, the King who reigns, the friend who never leaves.
I don’t know what you’re waiting for. I don’t know if it is better than a bag. But I do know THE gift has already been given.
The Savior has come, and He is more than enough.
Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
—Luke 2:11
Written by Scarlet Hiltibidal
