Desert Blooms


My wife and I love flowers, so it was quite the surprise when we saw such an abundance of them blooming in the desert southwest. Isaiah the prophet, speaking about the 'joy of the redeemed', writes…

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. (Isaiah 35:1-2)

The desert flowers remind us that God is with us even in those wilderness experiences where our souls are empty, our spirits dry, and we feel physically wasted. He can produce something beautiful even in those experiences.

If He can take a spiny, prickly cactus and turn it into a thing of flowering beauty then He certainly can bring joy out of the midst of whatever circumstance you have been in, are currently in, or will be facing in the days ahead.

I was reminded today that God most often spoke to people in the Bible while they were in the desert. Perhaps it is because we are more attentive to Him when we are in times that are more difficult. When we realize our inadequacy and focus on His sufficiency, then He can work something beautiful in and through us.

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