Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Tuesday, 24 June 2014 "Streams in the Desert"

Trinity United Methodist Church Daily Scripture Email Devotion for Tuesday, 24 June 2014 "Streams in the Desert"
1 The wilderness and the dry land will be glad.
    The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
    and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong.
    Don’t be afraid.
    Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution.
    He will come and save you.
5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then the lame man will leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the mute will sing;
    for waters will break out in the wilderness,
    and streams in the desert.(Isaiah 35: 1, 3-6).
This is one of those many glorious passages in the book of Isaiah, so I quoted more extensively than I usually do.  Hope! Hope is at the center of our faith!  It originates in the great prophets, and back further to Abraham and also the Exodus, and the assurance that God is with us always.  And God is always about the work of restoring life, and invites us, God's children to be co-workers with God.  And we live as people of great hope. And that hope infuses us with strength and perseverance and grace.
Some of you have used the wonderful devotional book entitled "Streams in the Desert" - it comes from this passage in Isaiah.  And so does Charles Wesley's great hymn "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, my great Redeemer's Praise."
God's word for you today:  Whatever "desert" you might be in right now, God will provide a stream of peace, joy and renewal.  Amen.  
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