As the world once again awaits the Savior’s coming, a poem by Edwin Markham comes to mind. It speaks of what our “waiting” should look like.

 “A old cobbler named Conrad had a dream that the Lord was coming to visit him. So he washed the walls of his small shop and his shelves until they shined. He decorated the shop with holly and fir. He put milk and honey on the table to offer to his special guest. Then he sat down and waited.

As he was waiting, Conrad saw a poor barefoot beggar walking in the rain outside his door. He felt sorry for the man and invited him in, and gave him a pair of shoes. The clean floor was now dirty from the rain and the mud.

Just as he was about to clean it up, Conrad noticed an old lady outside who was bent over, carrying a heavy load of firewood. He invited her in to sit and rest. He shared some food with her and then walked home with her, helping to carry the wood.

When Conrad returned to his shop, he thought of all that needed to be done to prepare for the Lord’s visit. He began to clean again and hoped he had time to find more food. But just then, a knock at the door. He answered hurriedly. It was a small child crying, lost and cold. He picked up the child, dried the tears, gave her something to drink, and walked her to her home down the street and around the corner.

Conrad hurried back to the shop. He was too tired now to clean or to find more food, but still, he  waited. Evening came, and Conrad began to wonder if the Lord had forgot.

Then he heard a soft voice break the silence in the shop. It said, ‘Lift up your heart, for I kept my word. Three times I came to your friendly door, Three times my shadow was on your floor. I was the beggar with bruised feet; I was the woman you gave to eat, I was the lost child on that homeless street.’

Conrad smiled to himself, put his feet up on the table, and settled back in his chair to pray and talk with his Saviour so fair. “

Christ is coming!