Dec. 4: Sprout - Doris Click

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1)

I am not a gardener. I don’t delight in kneeling in the earth and getting my hands all dirty as I weed and plant. My plants are all perennials, and they pretty much get left to their own devices, unless they need water in the summer or covering when a frost is predicted. However, I do delight in the first
signs of Spring. I look forward to and love seeing those tiny, bright green shoots from hyacinths and daffodils poking up through the mulch, signaling that the cold of winter is coming to an end and the warmth of Springtime (and Summer) sunshine is approaching. The days get longer, and I find my spirits lift.

Likewise, when I read this verse in Isaiah, predicting the arrival of Christ from the lineage of David (and his father, Jesse), I get the same feeling of excitement and delight. The long, dark winter of separation from God was coming to an end, and the warmth of His love was beginning to be felt by all
humanity. When I feel in my time that life has been sort of buried by disappointment, frustration, or despair, I remember both the physical sprouts of Spring and the spiritual “sprouts” of renewed faith. May you experience the joy of Advent as we await the coming of the Messiah and the love of God as embodied by His precious Son.

—Doris Click