The Promise We’ve Been Waiting For
Pastor Kara Veach
Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the Christmas season. We wait for gifts, for plans to come together, and sometimes for things we’ve wanted for years. As a parent, I’ve watched my kids ask for the same gift year after year—birthdays, Christmas lists, casual reminders throughout the year. We’ve said no. We’ve said not yet. We’ve said, “Let’s wait a little longer.” And they waited.
That kind of waiting brings anticipation, but it also brings frustration. And for many of us, Christmas hits differently when the waiting isn’t about gifts. Some of us are waiting on healing, reconciliation, clarity, direction, or answers to prayers we’ve been praying for a long time. If that’s you, click the link above to watch the full message and hear this story unfold in a deeper way.
What Advent Teaches Us About Waiting
In the early Church, believers began setting aside the four Sundays leading up to Christmas to remember the arrival of Jesus. That season became known as Advent. The word Advent means “arrival” or “coming,” and it invites us to slow down long enough to remember what we are actually waiting for.
During Advent, the Church remembers three essential truths:
The promise of Jesus was made at the very beginning of time.
Jesus came in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.
Jesus will come again, just as God promised.
Advent reminds us that waiting is not passive. We don’t just wait—we wait with hope. Hope rooted in a God who has always kept His promises.
The First Promise Was Made at Humanity’s Lowest Point
The story of Jesus does not begin in Bethlehem. It begins in Genesis.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they doubted God’s goodness and took the bait of the enemy. Sin entered the world, breaking humanity’s relationship with God. But immediately—before sin had time to settle in—God made a promise.
Genesis 3:15 says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
This was not a vague statement. It was a declaration of war against evil. God promised that someone from Eve’s family line would defeat sin and Satan, though it would come through suffering. Right at the moment of humanity’s failure, God revealed His plan for redemption.
God gives hope before anyone even asks for it. The first promise of a Savior came at the lowest point in human history—and that is still how God works.
God Speaks Promises Into Our Weakest Moments
Throughout Scripture, God consistently speaks hope into moments of weakness, discouragement, and fear. His promises meet us where we are, not where we wish we were.
When we feel alone: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
When we are discouraged: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 34:18)
When we feel defeated: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)
When we are weak: “I will strengthen you and help you.” (Isaiah 41:10)
When we are tired: “I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)
God has always had a plan—for the world and for you. We can hold onto hope because His promises do not depend on our strength.
The Promise Continues Through Abraham
As Scripture unfolds, God begins narrowing the promise. In Genesis 12 and Genesis 22, God tells Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his offspring. This was not a random promise. God bound Himself to a family line.
The promise became a covenant—a binding commitment God would not break. Through Abraham, God revealed that the Savior would come through a specific people. The waiting continued, but the picture became clearer.
God’s plans are intentional and relational. He does not rush them, but He never abandons them.
The Promise Narrows Through King David
Later, God spoke to David with another specific promise. In 2 Samuel 7, God declared that David’s throne would be established forever. The people wanted a king to protect them, but God promised a forever King whose kingdom would never end.
It’s like zooming in on a map. First you see the whole world, then a nation, then a family, then a house. God kept getting more specific about how the promise would unfold.
The closer we get to fulfillment, the clearer the plan becomes.
The Prophets Reveal the Details
After Israel’s kings failed and the nation was sent into exile, God spoke through the prophets. Even in slavery and silence, God continued revealing His plan.
The prophecies were detailed and precise:
Isaiah 7:14 described how Jesus would come—born of a virgin.
Isaiah 9:6–7 revealed who He would be—Mighty God and Prince of Peace.
Micah 5:2 named where He would be born—Bethlehem.
Isaiah 53 explained why He would come—to suffer for our sins.
Over 300 prophecies about Jesus were written across 1,400–1,600 years. The statistical probability of one person fulfilling even a handful of them is impossible by chance. Jesus did not accidentally fulfill God’s promises—He fulfilled every one on purpose.
When God feels slow, He is never absent. He is preparing something.
The Promise Is Fulfilled in JesuS
After hundreds of years of waiting and 400 years of silence, God sent His Son.
Luke 2 tells the familiar Christmas story—a baby born in Bethlehem, exactly as promised. After centuries of anticipation, God kept His word down to the smallest detail.
Advent reminds us that God always keeps His promises, even if the waiting feels long. God is not late. He is strategic. And His timing is perfect.
The Promise Continues Today
The story does not stop at the manger. Galatians 4:4–5 tells us that when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son to redeem us and restore us into relationship with Him.
Because of Jesus, we are no longer separated from God. We are adopted, redeemed, and invited into His family. God’s plan was not only for history—it is personal.
We are living somewhere in the middle of the story, still waiting, but never without hope.
The Promise Will Be Completed
Revelation 21 gives us the final picture. God will dwell with His people. Every tear will be wiped away. Death, pain, and sorrow will end. God Himself says, “I am making everything new.”
Waiting only makes sense if hope exists. Without hope, waiting feels pointless. With hope, waiting becomes preparation.
Advent reminds us that we are still waiting—but we are waiting with confidence.
Psalm 130:5 says, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Waiting may be painful, but the promise ends with peace.
Reflection Questions
What are you currently waiting on God for?
Where do you need to trust that God is still working, even when it feels slow?
How does remembering God’s faithfulness in the past shape your hope for the future?
Further Resources
The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
Advent Guide - Bible Project
“Advent” Video Series – BibleProject
