The season of advent is traditionally understood as our seeking and longing, our waiting and expecting. And yet Scripture indicates there is Another who also seeks and longs, waits and expects.
God seeks us.
Near the beginning of our human story, Genesis recounts, “when the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”
Though our response is to run and hide in fear and shame God calls and seeks; his divine presence persists. He is “Emmanuel, God with us.”
God lives among us.
God continues to seek us out, walk among us, and call out to us in the child “wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger” And John writes of this God-child, “the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”
God longs to be with us.
At the end of our story the book of Revelation encourages us, “and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”