Sunday, July 12, 2026

Isaiah 55:10-13 

10 As the rain and the snow 
    come down from heaven, 
and do not return to it 
    without watering the earth 
and making it bud and flourish, 
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
    It will not return to me empty, 
but will accomplish what I desire 
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 
12 You will go out in joy 
    and be led forth in peace; 
the mountains and hills 
    will burst into song before you, 
and all the trees of the field 
    will clap their hands. 
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, 
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. 
This will be for the Lord’s renown, 
    for an everlasting sign, 
    that will endure forever.” 

Back in May, I went on a camping trip with my family to the national parks in Colorado. Before we left—and throughout our time there—we kept hearing about the deep, persistent drought threatening wildlife and ecosystems across the state. 

The last park we visited was Rocky Mountain National Park, and fortunately for the landscape, rain was in the forecast. It rained for most of the three days we were there. While it put a damper on some of our plans, the animals and the locals seemed overjoyed. 

This passage speaks to creation’s deep need for God’s provision—the sustenance it needs to grow and thrive. Sure enough, when rain or snow comes to the earth, whether in a backyard garden or in the mountains of Colorado, things grow. 

Sometimes we can feel like we are living through a drought too—a drought in our sense of self, a drought in our relationships, or a drought in our faith. And those dry seasons can last a long time. We learned in Mesa Verde that the region is in the middle of a 30-year drought. Some of your dry seasons may have felt at least that long, I would guess. 

What is striking about this passage is how it describes the land receiving rain and snow. The earth does not grasp for it, beg for it, or anxiously count down the days until it arrives. 

It simply waits and then receives it when it comes. 

Earlier this week, we read about the difference between a newborn child who cries for its mother and a weaned child who has learned to trust. 

Both children are eventually fed, but the experience of the weaned child in the meantime is very different. Like the land waiting for rain, the weaned child is ready to receive because faithfulness over time has taught them that what is needed will come—and that it will be enough. 

We have a God who loves us and has provided more for us than we often realize. Those moments of faithfulness become the reminders we piece together in seasons of drought. They teach us how to wait with trust, like the mountains waiting for the rainy season. 

So as you wait, what good gifts has God faithfully provided for you that you can hold onto today? 

– Pr. Jason 

God, we thank you for all of the ways you have been faithful in our lives. Help us to remember these pieces of grace in the midst of a dry seasons so that we can be ready to celebrate when the rain comes again. Amen.