{"id":1331,"date":"2010-12-01T01:48:59","date_gmt":"2010-12-01T01:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/sharing-my-greatest-advent-discovery.html"},"modified":"2010-12-01T01:48:59","modified_gmt":"2010-12-01T01:48:59","slug":"sharing-my-greatest-advent-discovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/12\/sharing-my-greatest-advent-discovery.html","title":{"rendered":"Sharing My Greatest Advent Discovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/font><\/strong>Earlier in this series I spoke of discovering Advent. Of course I
\ndidn’t discover it in the way an explorer discovers a place no one has
\nbeen before. Millions upon millions of Christians have observed Advent
\nfor centuries upon centuries. (Check this short history of Advent<\/a>.)
\nI’ve been a Johnny-come-lately. My discovery of Advent was more like
\nwhen I find some fantastic natural oasis that’s been around for a long
\ntime, but, for some reason, I hadn’t ever visited.<\/p>\n

What I want to write about today isn’t my discovery of Advent as an
\nopportunity for growing in my relationship with God, but rather my
\naccidental (providential?) discovery of one way to observe Advent that
\nhas made a huge difference in my life.It came in a most unlikely place . . . standing in line at Costco.
\nNow you need to understand that I am terrible at waiting, especially in
\nlong checkout lines. Some time ago, I was rushing to get a couple of
\nitems at the market. I picked a short “Ten items or less” line, hoping
\nto buy my stuff and get going. Of course, the person in front of me
\nwanted to use a gift card, but the gift card couldn’t be read
\nelectronically. The checker knew there was a way to enter the gift card
\nnumber manually, but he wasn’t sure how to do it. So he had to call his
\nmanager. Five minutes later, I was still standing in that “short” line,
\nwatching other lines moving swiftly. My teeth were grinding and my
\nstomach was churning. Mostly, I was mad at myself for picking the wrong
\nline.<\/p>\n

My impatience with slow checkout lines makes me an especially lousy
\nChristmas shopper, because, almost by definition, Christmas shopping
\nrequires waiting in line (unless, of course, you are able to do all of
\nyour shopping online!) Whether you’re at a fine department store or
\njust grabbing some chips from the local mini-mart, chances are you’ll be
\nwaiting in line during the month of December. And, if you’re like me,
\ninevitably you’ll end up in the slowest line in the store. This sort of
\nthing can just about ruin the Christmas season for me, because waiting
\nmakes me grumpy.<\/p>\n

Okay, enough with the confession, now to the discovery.<\/p>\n

\"costco-lines-5.jpg\"<\/form>\n

A
\nfew years ago I was waiting in a long line at the Costco in Irvine,
\nCalifornia. In spite of my best efforts to find the shortest line, of
\ncourse I ended up in the slowest moving line of all. As I stood there, I
\ncould feel my blood pressure rising. The more I waited, the more
\nfrustrated I became. Words I never say (well, almost never) filled my
\nmind, and I’m not referring to “Happy Holidays.” “Why do I always get in
\nthe slowest *^%#($ line?” I asked myself. “And why is this taking so *#^($&  long<\/em>?” I grumbled under my breath. (Photo: Waiting in line at Costco)<\/p>\n

Then, all of a sudden, it dawned on me. I had one of those moments of
\ngrace in which God managed to slip a word into my consciousness. As I
\nstood in that slow-moving line at Costco, I was waiting. Waiting!<\/em>
\nIn a way, I was experiencing exactly what Advent is all about. Of
\ncourse I wasn’t waiting for God to save me or anything momentous like
\nthat. I was simply waiting to get out of that store so I could go home.
\nBut, nevertheless, I was waiting. I was forced to experience something
\nthat’s at the very heart of Advent.<\/p>\n

So I decided, right then and there in the line at Costco, that I was
\ngoing to use the experience of waiting in line while Christmas shopping
\nas an Advent reminder. In that moment, and in similar moments yet to
\ncome, I was going to remember what Advent is all about. I was going to
\nput myself back into the shoes of the Jews who were waiting for the
\nMessiah. And I was going to remember that I too am waiting for Christ to
\nreturn.<\/p>\n

As I decided to let the experience of forced waiting be a moment of
\nAdvent reflection rather than a cause for getting an ulcer, I found my
\nanger quickly drain away. Waiting in line at Costco became, not a trial
\nto be endured, but a moment of grace. And get this: I even found myself
\nthanking God for the chance to slow down a bit and wait. This was,
\nindeed, a miracle.<\/p>\n

By the time I got to check out, my heart was peaceful, even joyous. I
\nfelt as if I had discovered hidden treasure. But I didn’t want to keep
\nit hidden. The next Sunday I shared my discovery with my congregation
\nat Irvine Presbyterian Church. In the days that followed, many of my
\nflock told me how much their Advent had been improved by thinking of
\nwaiting in line, not as a curse, but as a potential blessing.<\/p>\n

Honestly, I can still forget my commitment to use waiting in line as a
\ntime for Advent reflection. My gut instinct can take over. I can easily
\nstart clenching my fists as I think of how much time I’m losing. But
\nthen a gentle breeze from the Spirit will remind me of how waiting can
\nenrich my life, rather than rob me of joy. <\/p>\n\"traffic-bad-5.jpg\"<\/form>\n

Come
\nto think of it, the grace of waiting in line during Advent might also
\nbe relevant to one of my other giant pet peeves: heavy traffic! Traffic
\nis often worse during the season of Advent as people are rushing to the
\nmalls to shop for gifts. But I wonder if it’s possible to allow the
\nhassle of traffic to serve as a reminder of Advent waiting. <\/p>\n

In the last few years, what I hate most about the days prior to
\nChristmas – waiting in line – has become a quasi-sacrament, a time to
\nexperience God’s grace. If you’ve never tried this, it may sound to you
\nas if I’ve lost my mind. This sounds even sillier than wearing purple in
\nthe weeks before Christmas rather than red and green. But let me
\nencourage you to try it. By experiencing waiting in line not as a
\npunishment, but as a opportunity to wait peacefully, you’ll find a bit
\nof grace, hidden and ready to be discovered, much like a little picture
\nbehind one of those doors of an Advent calendar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Earlier in this series I spoke of discovering Advent. Of course I didn’t discover it in the way an explorer discovers a place no one has been before. Millions upon millions of Christians have observed Advent for centuries upon centuries. (Check this short history of Advent.) I’ve been a Johnny-come-lately. My discovery of Advent was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent"],"yoast_head":"\nSharing My Greatest Advent Discovery - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}