Christianity Oasis Forum

[Lani]

Isaiah 35:1-10
1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom. Isaiah 35:1 (NRSV)



This year’s dry season here in Australia has been especially harsh. I try to maintain a modest garden, but I am saddened to see my carefully cultivated plants wither and die. I can only imagine what it must be like for the farmers and graziers as they also wait. When the rain finally arrives, I find myself smiling again. As my garden renews, so do I.

We find this theme of drought and renal in many places in the Bible. Isaiah 35 tells about the time of returning, when the exiles will come back to Zion. At first read, the chapter seems to focus on drought and rain; but the passage is also about the renewal of spirit. When God acts, the people will come back to life. Seeing the desert bloom is, more than anything, a spiritual experience. Isaiah says, “Then they eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the dead unstopped” (Isa. 35:5). With new eyes and ears, we will see and hear the world differently.

The redemptive love of God can do this for us. Even when everything around us seems to be in jeopardy, new eyes and ears will see things positively. When the rain comes at last, it will fulfill God’s liberating action. Experiencing drought opens the way for us to appreciate God’s love and presence in deeper ways.


Prayer: Open our eyes, O Lord, to see you in new life as it comes. Amen.

Prayer Focus of Day: People enduring drought.
Thought for the Day: Waiting for the rain can be a time for spiritual renewal.

Story shared by: B. Adams (Australia)
Source: Upper Room Daily Devotional: 11/14/11