Alumni Link

“Are We There Yet?”

Published Date: January 4, 2013

by Dr. Charles Killian

“Are we there yet?”  It seems that every child asks that question.  And they keep asking, “Are we there yet, Daddy?”  They ask it so persistently that you wish you’d never started the journey in the first place.

We live in an instant world, feeling the pressures for the immediate. We all remember when the world was not so instant. When you ordered something it came in a couple of weeks. Dinner took hours to cook. Then, along came ‘instant coffee’ in the 1960s and fast food service in the 1970s. We started to expect answers to our questions more quickly, and services would be delivered more promptly. The microwave arrived, and dinner was ready in minutes. Restaurants turned out lunches in two minutes or less. Time was measured in minutes.

With the advent of computers and the explosion of the Internet, we began to measure time in seconds. We want the viral world in seconds. News cycles around the globe, 24 hours a day. Culturally, we promote ‘instant gratification’ When we want something, we expect to be fulfilled right now.

Pastor Jim Harnish preached a sermon, “Patient Faith in an Impatient World.” He tells about his daughters and their “are we there yet, Daddy?”  He said that question is apropos during Advent.  As we travel towards Bethlehem…are we there yet? Get on with it and get it over with.

Well, we are getting closer, Christmas is almost here. Let me put it this way.  Are we there yet, God? Are we any closer to the fulfillment of the Kingdom which Jesus described?  Are we closer to the time when “love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss” (Ps. 85:10)?  Are we there yet?   Are we near the place where valleys are exalted and mountains made straight, and the glory of the Lord is revealed?  Are we within earshot of the promise of peace on earth and good will to all people? Are we there yet, God?  No, we are not there yet, but we are on the way. Aren’t we?

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