I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:3–11
One of my favorite writers, Henri Nouwen, describes active waiting as believing that something is already happening as we wait. In contrast to passively waiting for something to happen, active waiting involves being fully present to the moment. Nouwen writes, “If we wait in the conviction that a seed has been planted and that something has already begun, it changes the way we wait.”
Advent is a time of active waiting. We don’t just wait passively for Christ’s birth to come because we know the rest of the story. We know that Christ came into our world, that through his life and death we are saved, that he will come again, and, because of all of this, that we are a changed people.
Actively waiting during Advent involves being willing to be more fully present to the moment, listening for and responding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in our lives.
Today’s passage offers us a vision of how we might actively wait during Advent. Written by Paul when he was in prison awaiting trial and eventual execution, Philippians 1:3–11 begins his letter to the church in Phillipi. In this passage, he expresses gratitude to God for the Philippians, tells them that he holds them in his heart, yearns for them, sees them as partners in the work of the gospel, identifies God’s work in their lives, and prays for them to be abundantly filled with the fruit of righteousness. The way Paul thinks about, prays for, and encourages the Philippians is only possible because of Christ’s redemptive work in his life and theirs.
When I read this passage, I feel the Hope Spirit’s nudge to better emulate this in my daily interactions with family members, friends, neighbors, Hope College students, and colleagues. I’m fallen yet redeemed, and this means that I don’t always do this well or often enough. But because of God’s work in our world and my life, I can aspire to this kind of joy, love, and gratitude with and for others.
May we carry each other in our hearts during this season of waiting. May we share God’s grace with each other. May we have the affection of Christ for each other. May we partner in the gospel together. May God, who began a good work in each of us, carry it to completion. May our love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so we can discern what is best and so that we may be pure and blameless as we actively wait for not only Christmas Day but also the day of Christ’s return.
Dr. Deb Van Duinen is the Arnold and Esther Sonneveldt Professor of Education at Hope College.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.