The Desert is Blooming

Isaiah 35:1-4
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;

I have never been to a desert. However, I have been to hot places with lots of sand. I have stood on top of the highest sand dune on the east coast. I have stood atop a sand dune that rose 400+ feet above Lake Michigan. I guess you could say I have seen my fair share of sand. However, to imagine miles and miles of sand with rocks rising out of it. To imagine no greenery. To imagine that there was no water. To imagine the heat and feel the thirst of a desert. That is all I can do—IMAGINE.

The writer of Isaiah wants us to imagine what will one day happen when the dry land of the desert will be transformed. He says, “…the desert shall rejoice and blossom.” He paints a picture that takes a lot of imagination. He then goes on to talk about God coming to save us. He wants us to understand that this is Messiah’s role. To be our savior. He will come and transform the world and transform our lives. The desert of our soul. The parched and weary feeling within will one day shout for joy and we shall rejoice.

Can you imagine?