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The desert.
The desert of life. I trust that you have been there. It can be a lonely, desolate feeling, right? We might feel far away from everything and everyone. Sorrow and grief can push us to such places…so can the harshness of life. Life can become dark and barren and our spirit might become parched. You might be struggling. You might feel stuck and wonder how you will ever find a way out. The seeds of hope, if there are seeds of hope, seem to lie dormant deep below the surface of our life.
John the baptizer was strange, and yes, very colorful. He, as a forerunner of Jesus, tapped into the dreams of Israel. He excited their imagination. He kindled those ancient messianic promises! He was announcing and pointing to a super bloom of possibility in the person of Jesus! Later, when John was stuck in prison, he heard this super-bloom-kind-of-report: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. Perhaps, when John heard this, he is reminded of the prophet Isaiah who once said, “Here is your God.” Watch what happens! The desert rejoices and blossoms. Watch what happens. The burning sand becomes a pool of water. Watch what happens. Sorrow and grief are exchanged for gladness and joy. Revel in what you see. Revel in what you hear. Jesus, in our desert of life, is this super bloom of hope and peace and joy and love!
We find ourselves in the cold, dark, desolate days of winter looking towards the finish line of a crazy year. The conditions are right. The seeds are there. A stunning explosion of a super bloom is in the making. May this season of Advent prepare you, and have its way with you, as we ready ourselves to hear that proclamation ~ Jesus is born!
Watch what happens!
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