Hopeful Waiting

<p>My grandmother had invited me to join her for a special event: the trip to the airport to pick up her brother, my uncle Barton. I felt</p><p>grown up accompanying Nanny to the airport, so I decided to wear my favorite outfit with my new navy-blue loafers for the occasion. But Uncle Barton’s flight was delayed several times that day. As we waited, Nanny and I walked all around the small lobby area over and over during those hours.</p><p>.</p><p>We also walked to the restroom, to get a snack, to look out windows... and still Uncle Barton didn’t arrive. I needed to give my feet a break after my new shoes had rubbed blisters on them. So, I sat on a hard, plastic seat at the airport gate and took off my shoes. I felt so relieved to have the shoes off that I didn’t mind the people staring at me. I was too uncomfortable to care.</p><p>.</p><p>But as painful as the waiting seemed, it was worth it. Uncle Barton eventually arrived for his visit, and we headed home. I’d been willing to suffer through the miserable waiting because I knew we waited for something worthwhile.</p><p>.</p><p>In the Old Testament, the prophet Micah noticed the troubles around him and yet still watched in hope for God, His Savior. He was looking forward to the coming of the One who would be the light of the world, who would shepherd His people with compassion, and who would make the way for us to be forgiven for all our wrongdoing (Micah 7:8, 14, 18-19). Today we know that Micah’s words are fulfilled in Jesus: He is the Light of the World, our Shepherd who lavishes us with compassion. When we put our trust in Jesus, we have new life in Him—life marked by hope. We trust in the One who lived among us on earth, died on the cross, and then rose again so that we could be forgiven and brought near to God. We also trust in His promise to return and set things right. As God’s children who live in a broken, messy world, we can watch for the Lord like Micah did. Even now, we can wait with confidence that Jesus our Savior will return and restore His creati