“Joy in Waiting”
December 2025
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.”
Isaiah 35:1-2a NIV
What comes to mind when you think of waiting? I’m guessing Joy wasn’t your first thought!
Waiting is difficult. Lines are frustrating and nothing is worse than waiting in traffic. But not all waiting is the same.
There’s a big difference between waiting in traffic as you’re driving to a concert (when you have plenty of time) and waiting in traffic to go home. What makes it different is the anticipation of something special, something exciting…like children in December waiting for Christmas Day. It’s hard to wait…but if what you’re waiting for is worth it, there’s joy in the waiting.
And that brings us to the scripture above. Notice that these words point to the future, “will be glad…will rejoice…will burst into bloom.” Isaiah wrote these words approximately 700 years before Jesus was born. That’s a LONG TIME to wait!
But here’s the thing, Jesus was worth the wait. He was worth the wait then, and he’s certainly worth the wait now. And knowing that the Messiah was on the way brought joy into the present for Isaiah and his original audience.
You may be experiencing the struggle of “the desert and the parched land” right now. Or perhaps you find yourself in “the wilderness” this year. We may be waiting for an answer to prayer or for a resolution of a problem. But Isaiah reminds us that God has not forgotten us and God is powerful. He can make flowers bloom in the desert. And he bring beauty out of any pain that we experience. I pray that we can all find God’s joy as we wait for Jesus wherever we find ourselves this Advent season.
In Christ,
Pastor Thomas
Isaiah 35:1-2a NIV
What comes to mind when you think of waiting? I’m guessing Joy wasn’t your first thought!
Waiting is difficult. Lines are frustrating and nothing is worse than waiting in traffic. But not all waiting is the same.
There’s a big difference between waiting in traffic as you’re driving to a concert (when you have plenty of time) and waiting in traffic to go home. What makes it different is the anticipation of something special, something exciting…like children in December waiting for Christmas Day. It’s hard to wait…but if what you’re waiting for is worth it, there’s joy in the waiting.
And that brings us to the scripture above. Notice that these words point to the future, “will be glad…will rejoice…will burst into bloom.” Isaiah wrote these words approximately 700 years before Jesus was born. That’s a LONG TIME to wait!
But here’s the thing, Jesus was worth the wait. He was worth the wait then, and he’s certainly worth the wait now. And knowing that the Messiah was on the way brought joy into the present for Isaiah and his original audience.
You may be experiencing the struggle of “the desert and the parched land” right now. Or perhaps you find yourself in “the wilderness” this year. We may be waiting for an answer to prayer or for a resolution of a problem. But Isaiah reminds us that God has not forgotten us and God is powerful. He can make flowers bloom in the desert. And he bring beauty out of any pain that we experience. I pray that we can all find God’s joy as we wait for Jesus wherever we find ourselves this Advent season.
In Christ,
Pastor Thomas
