Counting the Days: December 14, 2025

The View from the Watchtower

Chloe Mukibi
Junior
Uganda

Read: James 5:7-8 and Philippians 4:4-5

“Advent is for those troubled in soul- it dares hope.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer (AD 1906 – AD 1945)

Advent is a season of great expectation, a season of diligently waiting. When one thinks of waiting it is often not as a verb – as an active state – but rather as a passive state. The psalmist David states in Psalm 130:6 “My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning.”

This time of advent transforms waiting from a passive and depressive state, to one that leads to hopeful and patient expectation. The God who has brought us from the beginning of the year, will be faithfully with us unto the end of it. Dietrich Bonhoffer said, “The essence of optimism is that is takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration of vitality and hope”.

During the challenges of life, the scripture calls us to hope, to wait patiently, rejoicing and standing firm because our Savior draws near. We must strengthen our hearts for the coming of the Lord is near! We must ask ourselves, ‘What are we doing as we wait to prepare our hearts for Him?’

As we wait, let us wait “joyfully” and firmly, rooted in the hope and faith that the Light of the World is about to be born as a babe for our salvation. Let us get ready, hopefully expectant, to welcome Him into our hearts at Christmas.

The symbol of the watchtower is a great reminder of this truth for when one ascends a watch tower they are raised above the noise of the world and can see far and wide what is coming in the distance. In this time of Advent, let us ascend our watch towers together, let us draw up nearer to God in prayer, in singing hymns, in praise and worship, let us take time in the quiet moments to draw near to God through reflection and contemplation on His salvific mission. As we wait let us not be swept away with the things that are not the point of this season, and to remember that Jesus is the reason for this season. May we wait (verb) hopefully, joyously and expectantly in Him.

Prayer: Lord, as we wait with hopeful expectation, lift our hearts above distraction so we may see Your nearness and feel Your peace. Strengthen us in the quiet moments, that our waiting may become worship and our anticipation become joy in Christ our coming Savior. Amen.