Whenever something big is happening, a question that comes up more often than not is “what can I do?” When a friend is ill, we ask what we can do to ease the burden. When someone has a new baby, we offer any help we can. (Being Oklahomans, the answer to both scenarios is often “bring food.”) We like to have something to do in the anticipation of life events, something to stay busy or feel needed.
In Luke 3, the crowd assembled asks John what they should do in the waiting of the Messiah. He responds to them depending on their strengths (or perhaps their weaknesses). What do we do in our waiting? We all react differently in this. Some want to get started and finish their work as soon as physically possible, for the satisfaction of being productive. Others thrive on skating as close to the deadline as possible, using the adrenaline to finish the job.
The crowds spoke to John about the coming of Jesus. Our anticipation is different. In the song “O Holy Night,” the anticipation is “the thrill of hope—the weary world rejoices!” The crowds in the Bible didn’t know what to do or what was coming. The difference for us is that we know Jesus is the answer to “What can we do?” We can strive, in all ways possible, to be like Him in a weary world. We can anticipate His coming by spreading the good news, and helping others to understand what it is they’ve been waiting for, too.
UBC Youth Group