Complimentary Story
April 2025Isaiah 35:1-2, “The desert and the parched land will be glad…like the crocus, it will burst into bloom.”
I’m a southern girl now, having lived in Georgia for since 2011; but I still remember fondly this time of year in Wisconsin. The snowy blanket not wanting to peel back its cover over the earth which is itching to burst forth into bloom. And perhaps my favorite part of seeing Spring make its long-awaited entrance in the north is the crocus. This tiny little flower, so dainty and delicate in appearance, but with the heart of a lion; pushing its uninvited way through the snow cover, giving hope to all that Spring will indeed arrive and as the snowy blanket is pulled back, the world will burst forth into bloom.
If you have gone through a winter season in a state where crocus bloom, the first sight of them always puts a smile on your face and fills your heart with joy and hope. Winter will not last forever – spring is coming! Unexpected beauty replaces the drabness that you’ve become accustomed to.
Life can be like this. We go through seasons that seem brutal, bleak, and unending. We start to wane on our hope that there is truly a light at the end of the tunnel. But God gives us hope through Scripture. In Isaiah 35, He speaks of the harshness of a desert instead of a winter tundra, and of His transforming ability to not only restore something to its former state, but to redeem it into something more.
“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. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” (Isaiah 35:1-4, ESV).
We should always hope for unexpected beauty; even in the desert or winter seasons of life. Our God is a God who restores, but He also goes beyond that – calling things that are not as if they were (Romans 4:17). He restores, He redeems, and He reveals life in circumstances that seem void of that possibility.
Where do you need to see the power and glory of the Lord sweep through your life today? He is mighty to save, to restore, to redeem and to reveal! Trust Him in the winter season. Ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to push forth the blooms of hope through life’s bleak snowy blanket. Rejoice at the work of our Lord!
Dear Lord, we thank you today that You never leave us or forsake us, that You walk through the valleys with us, and join us on the mountaintops as well. We thank You that no matter how dry or difficult the season of life we are in might be, You not only don’t abandon us to the sanctifying wasteland of the desert, but You are the God who comes and restores vitality and color to our lives. Join us where we are today and come with Your unexpected beauty to our lives! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Chris McMahan,
Email: Happy1970@icloud.com
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