Waiting, Watching

We are reminded in Scripture of God's second coming but we do not know the hour or day. We are told to be vigilant and to watch. What was thought to be a wait of only a matter of a hundred years or so by the first Christians has now reached close to two thousand years. To wait requires a lot of patience. People get annoyed at waiting; for a red light to change, standing in line at the bank or store to be served, for the power to return after a major storm, etc..

It has become more difficult in our age of instant messaging and communication that no matter where a person may be we are kept up to date on the whereabouts of a loved one within seconds via one of the many electronic devices of this constant and ever changing technology.

I remember, less that 50 years ago, the voyage that brought my mom and I to the US. We traveled on an ocean liner fron Naples, Italy to New York. It would normally take eight days to cross the Atlantic. Prior to leaving, my mom had been in contact with her uncle at first by mail which would take almost a week to arrive and on the day prior to our departure I believe she sent a telegram which would arrive on the same day. In the interim there was no communication. On the day that we were to arrive, my mom's uncle and family went to the port of arrival to pick us  up. They had no idea that we were delayed at sea by a hurricane causing the ship to divert and  stop over in Newfoundland, Canada. They had been waiting eight days for our arrival and didn't find out about the one day delay until they checked in with he Port Authority.

Today's trans-Atlantic trip would consist of a seven hour flight and I'd venture to say that the wait at the airports would consume almost as much time as the flight. The anxiety that we have today is self induced because we are used to immediate information. The more we get caught up in this whirlwind of instant information the harder it becomes to slow down and wait. If we have a hard time waiting for the things that are seen how much more difficult is it to wait for that second coming of someone we've never seen?

Blessed John Henry Newman tells us,"not to be carried away by the world, but to "take heed, watch and pray," (Lk 21,34.36) and look out for His coming. Surely this gracious warning should be ever in our thoughts, being so precise, so solemn, so earnest."

“ Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts." ~ Proverbs 8:34

Newman continues by saying that, "We are not simply to believe, but to watch; not simply to love, but to watch; not simply to obey, but to watch; to watch for what? for that great event, Christ's coming... we seem to see a special duty enjoined on us...: most of us have a general idea what is meant by believing, fearing, loving, and obeying; but perhaps we do not contemplate or apprehend what is meant by “watching”.

Even the Apostles found it difficult to keep watch; "And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? ~ Mark 14:37

The psalmist writes, "Because of his strength I will watch for You, For God is my stronghold." Psalm 59:9

Take heed from Matthew 24, "Be watchful and ready; you know not when the Son of Man is coming."

There is only one app for this: Watch and Pray!