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2010 Advent Devotional
St. Stephen United Methodist Church |
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Isaiah 35:1-10
1 The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you." 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
7 The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 8 And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
9 No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
10 and those the LORD has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away. |
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I remember December 1993 very well. I had always envisioned my life to include motherhood, but I had not been able to conceive a child for many years. This December, 17 years ago, was a particular low point for me. Why was I not successful? Did God not think I would be a good mother? What could be in store for me if it did not include being a mother? I did not understand and did not feel that I was getting my prayers answered.
As I stood in church one Sunday in December, listening to the beautiful Christmas hymns, I felt that I could not stand another year of trying and failing, another year watching all of my friends start their families, another year of unanswered prayers. As I looked up at the stained glass, tears filled my eyes, and instead of fear, I felt a peace come over me. I was reassured that God was with me and he would make me strong. Allowing God to be in control and acknowledging this allowed me to feel hope and strength.
My prayers were answered that December, within a week of that Sunday, I found out that I was pregnant! Now many years later, I realized that I was in a spiritual desert. This was the start of my journey back to a relationship with God. Now, I face difficult times with God's comfort and security, as promised in these verses in Isaiah. |
| Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the providing the highway for those in the desert, for the promise of everlasting joy and security. I pray that one person reading this may feel your comfort and strength to help them leave the desert and come to you. |
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