Isaiah 11:1-10
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,and faithfulness the belt of his loins. – Isaiah 11:5
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In this third week of Advent, we reflect on “joy.” Yet joy is not emotional excitement, but the steady hope that comes from God’s promises. In the days of Isaiah, the southern kingdom of Judah was almost swallowed up by the storms of history. The Davidic dynasty was like a tree cut down, leaving only an insignificant stump. Yet in the ruins of despair, Isaiah saw a spark of hope:
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (v. 1)
The tree was cut down, but the root was not dead. Where everything seemed to have ended, God’s salvation was beginning to sprout. This is the “joy of Advent”! Not because circumstances have improved, but because God is still at work.
True joy comes from knowing that God has not forgotten His promises. He has not abandoned His people. His plan of redemption has never been interrupted. That small and tender shoot is the restoration God begins in the place least expected.
Our lives sometimes resemble that stump: stalled plans, strained relationships, weary hearts, prayers that seem unanswered. But Advent reminds us that God often causes new life to grow quietly in places unseen. Joy begins here, believing that He is still working.
Isaiah describes the King who comes from Jesse as One filled with wisdom and might, who does not judge by appearance, who brings comfort to the lowly, vindication to the righteous, and true peace to the world. This is the dawn of a new age, the unfolding of God’s kingdom.
The coming of Jesus is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He entered human helplessness and chaos, yet brought renewal that cannot be shaken by circumstances. He shows us that true joy is not something external, but something that flows from being united with this King.
The joy of Advent is a joy that has “already begun, yet is still awaited.” We rejoice because Christ has come, and we hold deeper hope because He will come again.
It is a counterintuitive joy: not because circumstances change, but because God is still working; not because failure disappears, but because new life is quietly growing.
Reflection:
Which parts of my life feel like a “stump of Jesse”? Am I willing to believe again that God will cause new shoots to grow?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing hope and joy into the darkness. Renew my heart and help me hold fast to Your promises while I wait. May Your joy be my strength, and may I see traces of Your work in my everyday life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Click to Read
In this third week of Advent, we reflect on “joy.” Yet joy is not emotional excitement, but the steady hope that comes from God’s promises. In the days of Isaiah, the southern kingdom of Judah was almost swallowed up by the storms of history. The Davidic dynasty was like a tree cut down, leaving only an insignificant stump. Yet in the ruins of despair, Isaiah saw a spark of hope:
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (v. 1)
The tree was cut down, but the root was not dead. Where everything seemed to have ended, God’s salvation was beginning to sprout. This is the “joy of Advent”! Not because circumstances have improved, but because God is still at work.
True joy comes from knowing that God has not forgotten His promises. He has not abandoned His people. His plan of redemption has never been interrupted. That small and tender shoot is the restoration God begins in the place least expected.
Our lives sometimes resemble that stump: stalled plans, strained relationships, weary hearts, prayers that seem unanswered. But Advent reminds us that God often causes new life to grow quietly in places unseen. Joy begins here, believing that He is still working.
Isaiah describes the King who comes from Jesse as One filled with wisdom and might, who does not judge by appearance, who brings comfort to the lowly, vindication to the righteous, and true peace to the world. This is the dawn of a new age, the unfolding of God’s kingdom.
The coming of Jesus is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He entered human helplessness and chaos, yet brought renewal that cannot be shaken by circumstances. He shows us that true joy is not something external, but something that flows from being united with this King.
The joy of Advent is a joy that has “already begun, yet is still awaited.” We rejoice because Christ has come, and we hold deeper hope because He will come again.
It is a counterintuitive joy: not because circumstances change, but because God is still working; not because failure disappears, but because new life is quietly growing.
Reflection:
Which parts of my life feel like a “stump of Jesse”? Am I willing to believe again that God will cause new shoots to grow?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing hope and joy into the darkness. Renew my heart and help me hold fast to Your promises while I wait. May Your joy be my strength, and may I see traces of Your work in my everyday life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.