Advent 2025 - DAY 15 — JOY BREAKS IN

DAY 15 — JOY BREAKS IN
Scripture: Isaiah 35:1–2
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom… it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing.” 

In 2011, a severe drought struck a region in southern Namibia. Grass withered, rivers dried, and animals began to collapse. But months later, an unexpected rainfall — heavier than anyone predicted — swept across the plains.

The transformation was astonishing. Brown wasteland turned to fields of violet flowers. Birds returned in flocks. Elephants splashed in rivers that had been dust only weeks before. One local farmer said, “It was like joy itself walked across the land.”

Scientists call this phenomenon a “desert bloom,” but for those who witnessed it, it felt far more like a miracle.

Reflection:
Joy is not the result of perfect conditions — it is the surprising work of God breaking into dry places.
Where might God be bringing unexpected joy into a barren part of your life?

Prayer:
Lord of joy, breathe life into my dry places.
Let Your joy bloom where I least expect it.
Amen.