Rose Blossoms in the Desert

The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose ...
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing...
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1,5-6,10 (NKJV)

For the creation was subjected to futility ... creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ~ Romans 8:20-21 (NKJV)

Then [the other criminal] said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." ~ Luke 23:42-43 (NKJV)

God created only good. Sin entered the world, and with it the death and suffering and sorrow to which our bodies are in bondage. The physical creation waits for the liberation it will receive when the Lord restores perfection.

But the spiritual is already liberated from bondage. Anyone in Christ is already a new creation, a child of God living in glorious liberty and eternal life. The ransomed drink of the Holy Spirit's living waters in the desert of this world. The kingdom is now within us.

The dying thief asked to join Jesus in His Kingdom, and that day he entered Paradise by faith. In the day we join ourselves to Jesus, we enter His spiritual Paradise, living as rose blossoms in the desert. Our eyes and ears are opened, our tongues and limbs are loosed to praise.

The kingdom is yet at war. Will you today fight hard the battle the soul wages to live in the spirit's liberty rather than the body's bondage?

Holy One, thank You for the blood of our King, that we might live in His kingdom, the fragrance of Your life now ours. Please lead us to streams of waters in the desert of death all around us. Please be continually opening our eyes and ears, and loosing our limbs and tongues. Please arm us for the battle.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy