Tinney Chapel Today

Click on any image to view it in larger format.

New Beginnings In Christ: A New Day Is Coming

That was the title in the bulletin for Angela Wylie's Advent sermon on this Wednesday evening at Tinney Chapel, but the message she delivered was a commentary on the art or task of "waiting" in our lives, something that all of us have to deal with.

Angela, a gifted Certified Lay Speaker, began with an emphasis on how little most of us enjoy waiting. Oh sure, when the waiting is for the birth of a new baby, it can be a joyous period. But, for most of us, waiting has a more negative association: standing in line or meeting a deadline and the like.

She recalled several personal events in her own life when waiting represented great trials, possibly severe tests, as she grew impatient with the development of her career and other important milestones. Angela's mother, Wanda Hardin, proved to be a mainstay in helping her to control impatience and resist fatigue during such times. Perhaps it was Wanda's way of reflecting Christ to her family and friends.

Angela also discussed examples of waiting in the Bible, waiting for deliverance, waiting for a Messiah, and she quoted from Psalm 4. She said that she learned long ago that the best way to wait was to pray at the same time, and she recommended a book titled "God Is In The Hard Stuff."

One of the best ways to pray effectively, she said, is never to forget that God loves us, and that a season of waiting is often the norm for most events. She mentioned the fifth Chapter of the Gospel of John, and reminded that all of us are to be patient as we await the Lord's return.

Further, the question is not IF we will wait. Rather the fact is that all of us WILL have to wait, often when it is not convenient or pleasant for us. A good mindset is to keep telling ourselves that today might be the day God will turn everything around for us.

One thing is always certain: God often seems to do the unexpected. Here, Angela mentioned the sixth Chapter of the Gospel of John. She reminded us that this is the Season of Advent, a time to rejoice because the Holy Spirit is guiding us, the Father is with us and Jesus gives us reason to have Hope. Bottom line: God is always with us.

We may not live to see all of our prayers answered, but we can take comfort that God sent the Light of the World to us in the person of Jesus The Christ. So it's easier for us to find our way.

Amen.