December 14 — Isaiah 35:1–4

The wilderness and the dry land will be glad;
  the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
It will bloom profusely
  and rejoice with joy and singing.
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.

Strengthen the limp hands
  and steady the feeble knees!
Say to those with anxious hearts:
  “Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance.
  With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
— Isaiah 35:1–4


Isaiah’s vision opens with a surprising transformation: the desert rejoices. The place associated with emptiness, lifelessness, and exhaustion is pictured bursting into bloom. Advent uses this imagery to remind us that God brings life to the places we least expect—both in the world and in our own hearts. The wilderness represents seasons of loneliness, waiting, dryness, or discouragement. Yet it is precisely in these places that God promises joy, renewal, and abundance. Advent announces that God is on the way, and His coming brings hope to the weary and beauty to the barren.

Isaiah’s message shifts from describing God’s restoration to calling God’s people to participate in it: “Strengthen the weak hands… steady the feeble knees… Say to those with anxious hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear!’” Waiting for God’s coming does not mean passively watching from the sidelines. Advent invites us to become encouragers—people who lift the weary, steady the uncertain, and speak courage into anxious hearts, including our own. The promise that “your God will come” is not abstract comfort; it is the foundation for strength, courage, and endurance. God Himself draws near to save His people.

As you reflect on these verses, consider these questions: Where do you feel like a wilderness—dry, stretched, or weary? How might God be preparing to bring unexpected life to that very place? Who in your life needs encouragement today—someone whose hands feel weak or whose heart feels anxious? And what does it mean for you personally to hear the words, “Do not fear; your God will come” in this season of Advent? Allow these questions to draw you into deeper trust and renewed hope.

For today’s practice, choose one person to encourage. Send a brief message, make a call, or speak a kind word that strengthens and steadies someone who needs it. Also take a moment to imagine one dry area of your own life suddenly in bloom—colorful, alive, and joyful. Pray, “Lord, bring joy to my wilderness.” Carry that image with you throughout the day as a reminder that God brings beauty where we least expect.


Loving Father, 

Bring life to my wilderness and joy to the places that feel dry or weary. Strengthen my hands and steady my heart as I wait for Your coming. Make me an encourager to others, speaking courage and hope in Your name.

I pray in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.

-

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