Life

The Desert Will Bloom & Rejoice

[Isaiah 35] River of Life (Midweek Advent Devotionals)

This world is filled with diverse and delightful ecosystems. Some, like mountain ranges and thick forests, are filled with stunning beauty and jaw-dropping views. A few years ago, my family and took a family trip to Yellowstone National Park. The park and all its famous sights exceeded the hype. On our drive up, we also went through the Grand Tetons. I can still remember watching the afternoon sunlight dance on Jenny Lake with the mountains in the background. This past summer, we went to Sequoia, Tahoe, and Yosemite. The massive sequoias, the towering waterfalls, the granite mountains, it was all far more grand than we had expected.

These locations are renowned for their beauty. But you don’t have to make a trip to national park to be amazed by God’s creation. Our world is filed with places of enchanting beauty. Forests that stretch beyond the horizon. Mountain ranges that seem to pierce the clouds. Hidden lakes that glint and shine like fine crystal. These are the kinds of places that people flock to. Spend years planning their trips to enjoy. Populate travel blogs and social media feeds.

But not the desert. I know there are some deserts that defy the odds and draw crowds. White sand dunes, slot canyons, and craggy cliffs can be beautiful in their own right. But a lot of the desert isn’t like that. It’s flat. Empty. Barren. Upon first glance it looks like a lifeless, wasteland. Of course, that’s not true. The desert is teeming with life. But none of the life is cute or cuddly. Many desert plants feature thorns and barbs and toxins. Many desert creatures have sharp teeth, powerful claws, painful stings, and venomous bites. Because of the scarcity of water in the desert, the desert can be a really hostile place.

In Isaiah chapters 34 and 35, God’s prophet Isaiah speaks of a desert wilderness, with burning sands and ravenous beasts. It’s a hardscrabble place. Not the kind of location that anyone looks to dwell in. It’s the kind of place a person looks to get through and past.

Only, what Isaiah is talking about isn’t so much a physical location as it is a description of the condition of our hearts and minds. By nature, our hearts and minds are hostile to the goodness of God and the righteousness found in his Word.

By nature, we are blind to God’s kindness. When we prosper, we are quick to credit our hard work and hustle. When we run into hardships, we deny any responsibility for the consequences of our choices.

By nature, our hands are far more feeble and our hearts are far more fearful than we’re willing to admit. How many times do we sidestep chances to help and serve our neighbor because we just can’t right now? How many times do we stay silent when speaking the truth will result in conflict or because we might lose something we value?

By nature, wicked desires burn deep within us. Think about how quickly we are overcome with jealousy, greed, anger, or lust. At times, we feel these powerful urges and depraved impulses and we have no idea where they came from. They originate in our own sinful nature. They come from within us. Left on our own, our hearts and minds would remain spiritual wastelands.

But the Lord has looked with favor upon foolish and prideful wilderness wanderers like us. Here’s what he promised through his prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 35:1 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. 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…to save you.”

How has God done this? He has sent the refreshing waters from above in his Word and in the waters of Baptism. Our magnificent Maker has blessed us with the rains of his righteousness in his Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

God sent his Son into the world to save sinners of all stripes. In John 4, Jesus met with such a sinner. She was ashamed of her past and ostracized by her community. She was living in a relational and spiritual wasteland, going to draw water from the local well during the heat of the day just to avoid judgmental glares. Jesus knew everything she had ever done, When he sat with her, he welled up with compassion. Even though she was more than a little hostile to him, he loved her and graciously offered her living, spiritual water, saying: (Jn. 4:14) Whoever drinks the water I give them, will never thirst. Indeed the water I give them will become in them a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.

Jesus found us, much like this woman, when we were in the dust of death. And even though our sinful natures snarled and lashed out at him, he loved us. That love moved him to make our sin problem his problem. That river of righteousness ran to Calvary’s cross, that spring of water burst forth from the grave in a garden outside of Jerusalem. And because he lives, all those who believe in him have eternal life. All because of some water.

Living here in the Sonoran Desert, we get to see up-close and personal what a gentle rain can do to a barren wasteland. Almost unbelievably, the desert springs to life. The poppies pop, lavender litters the landscape, and the creosote! The smell of the creosote bushes after a gentle rain in the desert is an incredible experience, proof of God’s kindness to the parched places.

When that kindness appeared for sinners like you and me, God didn’t just stimulate some growth, he saved us. Not because of who we were or what we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the cleansing, refreshing, and renewing waters of Baptism, where he connects us with Christ. His death is for us. His life and his victory become ours, as well. All because God is kind to parched places. Because our God is kind and merciful, we bloom and blossom. His glory makes us glow. We radiate with his splendor. We are overcome with gladness and joy. And that is quite the sight to see!