“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.”
– Isaiah 35:1-2
God is the giver and restorer of life. He can give new life, hope, and beauty to people, places, and things that seem utterly dead and without hope. He can redeem the most hopeless situations, relationships, and people for His glory. When He raised His Son, Jesus, from the dead that wasn’t God’s stopping point, it was the beginning.
Because He raised Jesus from death to life, He gives eternal life to everyone who trusts in Jesus. All who die in Christ will also rise in Christ. Fallen creation with all its corruption and disasters will be renewed in perfection one day. This is God’s pattern and character. He gives life and hope amidst hopeless situations. He loves to make the desert bloom.
God loves to restore what seems hopelessly broken. He loves to raise the spiritually dead to life. Is there someone or something in your life that seems to be hopeless? An unfruitful desert? A dark, shameful wound that you believe must never see the light of day? A past trauma that keeps you from truly living your life? Take these things to the Lord in prayer. Be patient. Be persistent. Be confident.
There’s no guarantee that He’ll act on those areas but you’ll find that He often does. Pray persistently (see the beginning of Luke 18). God loves to hear your prayers. Know that as His beloved child, you aren’t bothering Him by asking. Trust that He loves to bring renewal to the broken, hope to the hopeless, and make the desert blossom. In Christ, there is nothing so broken that God can’t work healing, comfort, and renewal. It will be at His pace, on His schedule, and in His way, but He can, and does, routinely accomplish the impossible. #FollowJesus