Are you ready for Christmas? Are the gifts bought, cookies baked, cards mailed, house decorated, heart prepared? Yes, that's right, heart prepared.

The Christian Church has celebrated Advent—the four Sundays before Christmas—since the fourth century. For nearly 1,700 years, congregations have focused their corporate and individual attention on repentance, promise and hope with the eager expectation of the arrival of a Saviour. Are we ready to hear God speak to us? Are we ready to give ourselves in service to him? Are we ready to be transformed?

The Christmas story is filled with individuals who waited on God and experienced the certainty of personal sacrifice and transformation.

• Elizabeth, heartbroken with barrenness, waited on God for the promise of a child. Her husband, Zechariah, after a moment of doubt, was given the opportunity to think it over as he waited in silence for nine months for the arrival of his son, John (see Luke 1).
• Mary, at the risk of public ridicule and personal sacrifice, willingly accepted the blessing of being chosen by God with simple words of obedience (see Luke 1).
• Joseph, too, shared in this journey. Having been ready to divorce Mary privately, he looked to the future while learning to wait on God and trust in his plan (see Matthew 1).
• Simeon had been waiting for years for the “consolation of Israel,” all the while trusting in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He welcomed the awesome privilege of holding the promised One, knowing that after many years of anticipation, he had witnessed God's salvation in the flesh (see Luke 2).
• And then there was Anna, who had been widowed for many years following only seven years of marriage. For the rest of her long life she remained in the temple day and night, praying and fasting as she looked forward to the redemption of Israel (see Luke 2).

In all their personal waiting we observe a stirring act of obedience and commitment to God. A willingness to hear him and an openness to trust in his plan, timing and perfect will.

Admittedly, we are not a people ready to wait for things to happen. We are driven to make things happen. That is not necessarily a bad thing. However, imagine the potential conflict when we bring this attitude to our spiritual journey. It's possible that we may miss the significance of waiting on God and thereby neglect his invitation to allow him to work in and through us as his covenant people. Do we run the risk of assuming responsibility for what can only be the work of the Holy Spirit? Does our failure to wait on God in private and corporate worship limit the depth of our relationship with him and, consequently, our spiritual growth?

When we daily wait on God we can expect great things. We must not rush the moment, but allow ourselves to linger in his presence. This Advent season, spend quiet moments at the manger. Smell the hay, hear the cries of a newborn child, see Jesus' tiny hands stretch heavenward and hear Mary sing her lullaby. Above all, know that your Saviour is waiting for you and humbly receive his love.

Sometimes the familiarity of the Christmas story can prevent us from hearing its message. This year, for me the message is plain and simple: “I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm 130:5 Amplified Bible).

Embrace the opportunity to wait on God this Christmas. And in your waiting, remember that it is not just about what we can receive. Rather, it is all about what we might give … our whole hearts in gratitude and service to him.

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Preparing for Advent
Allow the Holy Spirit to influence your everyday activities. Let him guide you in paths of truth and righteousness, exposing disobedience and empty religious ritual, correcting your mistakes, renewing your thinking and training you to live a mature life that will glorify God.

Have a willingness and desire to listen. That can be challenging in our private and public worlds of distraction and conflict, of self-sufficiency and independence.

Embrace God's plan for your life. Sometimes our fear of what God might say or do creates a barrier. We need to hear again the message of the angels, “Fear not.” God is waiting for us to accept his promises, his presence and his power.

Major Shawn Critch is the property secretary, THQ.