Isaiah 35:1-2
1The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.
A few months ago, I had the not-so-pleasant experience of being on the road in the midst of a terrible dust storm in the desert. At times, clouds of dust were so thick that the visibility dropped nearly to zero. Tumbleweeds darted in front of the car. It took hours for the storm to finally let up.
Just a few days prior, however, I had seen the same desert in its full beauty. Sagebrush dotted the landscape. Joshua trees rose up majestically, stretching their branches toward heaven. Pronghorn antelope, wild horses, and other wildlife roamed the flat plains. What a stark contrast!
Isaiah 35 is always an encouragement to me. It speaks of the desert blooming and blossoming as a rose. What beautiful imagery! The Lord takes the horrible dust storm-filled deserts in our lives and transforms them into life-filled oasis. He causes stunning beauty to spring forth from the barren deserts in our hearts. He turns the ugly, dry dust and sand into the most gorgeous roses we could ever imagine.
I am reminded of the many desert-like areas in California that spring forth with the most stunning displays of wildflowers after the winter rains. What lavish beauty lay hidden beneath the dry, dead grasses of summer! However, even those lovely spring wildflowers die quickly, in contrast to the fragrant, lovely roses the Lord cultivates in our hearts.
Are you walking through a lifeless desert right now? If you love the Lord, He will use it for your good and will transform your barren plains into vibrant, life-filled, stunningly glorious rose gardens that testify to His grace!
