As nurses and midwives, we are in the business of waiting. Whether our patients are waiting for surgery, an upcoming test, healing from an infection, or for an update on their condition, nurses wait with their patients. As nurses, we not only wait with our patients, but we also wait for physicians to see our patients and update their plans of care. We wait for the multidisciplinary team to visit our patient and provide services. We also wait on other nurses. We wait for a report from the previous shift or another facility, or at the end of our shift or day, we wait for the next nurse to take over our assignment.

The Advent Season is a time of waiting also. We seek to find time to quiet our hearts from the busyness of the season to spiritually wait for the anticipated birth of our Messiah. Since we are living in the post-coming of the Messiah, we also equate our spiritual waiting with His future coming (Revelation 22:20).

During these final weeks of Advent, let’s turn our physical waiting into spiritual waiting. We can do this for both ourselves and our patients. Turn the time of inactivity while you are physically waiting with your patient into a time of contemplative waiting. Take those few moments to praise the Lord with the angels from Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Or repeat from Mary’s praises, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:46-47.

If you are waiting with your patient, then quietly pray for your patient following Zechariah’s proclamation in Luke 1:78-79, “the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  You can also spend time waiting with your patient and sharing how as Christians, our time of waiting is over. As believers, we boldly join Simeon in proclaiming:

“Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christmas Blessings from NCFI