In the season of Advent we are called to wait with expectation for God; to seek eagerly for God’s presence; to listen for God’s word to us.

The words seem simple enough but actually taking the time to slow down and wait for God is hard.  We live in a very busy world filled with all the over-commercialization of Christmas.  Instead of a twelve-day celebration of the birth of Christ we have a six to eight week period of frenzied shopping, attending parties, decorating, cooking, visiting etc.  It is easy to find ourselves so worn out that we have no energy for quietly waiting for God.

The Psalmist tells us that if we are quiet we will hear God speak!  It is God’s way to speak to God’s people, “to those who turn to God in their hearts.”  When God speaks, the message is one of peace.  Can you imagine a time when we need peace more than we do in this frantic season?  Also we note that the Psalmist brings us the same message that Jesus spoke in his ministry on earth:  “God’s salvation is at hand for those who revere God.”  Peace in the midst of this busy season, peace to know that God’s salvation is at hand — what a wonderful gift.  However, we must be quiet, calm and waiting to hear God speak.