“The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
… they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.”
—Isaiah 35:1–2

Have you ever stumbled on some beauty that is out of place? A handful of years ago, I spotted a plant growing out from underneath a rock in a pond. The top of it contained a yellow blossom that had reached a height taller than the rock itself.

I couldn’t stop staring at it. This isn’t supposed to happen. Wait…how did this happen?

Similarly, while at the end of a recent trip for work, I was headed to our car in a downtown area. I looked over my shoulder to discover a stunning sunset. It stood out among the buildings near where our team scurried in a parking lot in order to head home.

I stopped. Enamored by the colors. The rest of my team kept walking while I gawked at the beauty and snapped a quick picture.

Joy Is Here

It had been years since I’d been back to the Midwest, and I have missed the splashes of red and pink that shine across fields filled with grain and flocks. Don’t get me wrong, the sunsets behind the Rockies where I live have their own beauty. But there’s something glorious about the colors as dusk settles into the heartland.

It disrupted me in the best way. I was sure God was right next to me. I smiled, caught up with my team, and tried to get them to notice as well. But they were busy discussing dinner and travel plans.

I settled back into the beauty and kept staring at the horizon as we drove out of town. It felt like joy with a little bit of peace and hope wrapped up in there as well.

It was a moment only God can orchestrate.

Joy Comes in All Sizes

Madeleine L’Engle said, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.”

Joy comes in all sizes. For me that day, it was quiet and small. Internal, though I declared it to my coworkers briefly. At other times I’ve had joy spill out in more boisterous ways, and I will find myself singing or bouncing among the people I love. All of it has the power to disrupt and bring us to closer to the One who creates it all.

“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8). It was beyond dusk at this point. The sun had set and with the night came dangers they needed to protect their flock from.

Suddenly, the shepherds were disrupted by an angel—definitely something out of place. God’s glory surrounded them as a declaration of joy was made. This joy was for all people.

What was happening? God’s presence. His literal presence on earth had come in the form of a baby—a baby they could visit and be near to themselves. Then the sky filled with even more glory. I wonder what colors abounded that night.

God’s glory surrounded them as a declaration of joy was made. This joy was for all people.

Singing. Words of the peace that is available for all people.  The shepherds ran to see the Savior. The joy spilled out. Even after they saw the child, the joy did not leave. They told everyone they met about this amazing and glorious disruption.

Unexpected Peace

Here’s a piece I haven’t told you about my recent trip: I boarded the plane that flew across those Midwest skies with a bit of a heavy heart. This year brought the loss of a faith community I loved and a ministry I had dreamed of our family spending the next 20 years leading. For months, I have felt constant frustration from the grief.

I was not prepared for the level of peace I would experience while away from home. I did not realize my heart could be healed in such deep ways by visiting a friend’s church for a couple of Sundays, hanging out with other ministry leaders at an event, and running all over a new city I’ve never been able to explore.

I wondered what it would be like when I got home. Somehow the joy has lasted. I have no rational explanation for it.

God with Us

Sure, I’m the one who stepped on the plane. But God did the rest. We cannot plan for His presence. It just is. He is with us. He came to be with us. Every once in a while, a reminder comes in the form of a sunset or a stubborn plant that somehow grows out of a rock.

We cannot plan for His presence. It just is. He is with us. He came to be with us.

While these things aren’t on the level of a choir of angels declaring His work and splendor, the disruptions declare He is near. He is near to you, now and always. And He is able to fill you with joy in the most surprising ways, at the most surprising times.

Advent Reflections

As you ponder Jesus’ first coming, and even His second coming, in this Advent season, it may help to consider the following:

  • What is a time you were disrupted by joy?
  • Read Luke 2:10–14. What part of the declaration made in these verses stands out to you?
  • Why do you think you resonate with this part of God’s message to the shepherds?
  • In what ways can you declare God’s presence to others in this Advent season?

May the God of all joy speak in the ways you most need as you remember He is near. May He send blossoms in the most usual places, His glory declared against the backdrop of any dark places in your life, and the peace of knowing you do not have to fear because He has come and He is coming.

Experience the Wonder of Advent

Download the Family Advent Reading Plan

Advent is a season of waiting for Jesus and preparing our hearts for Him. We don’t have to literally wait on Jesus—He is alive, and we can talk to Him anytime. But as we look forward to the thrill of Christmas, we want to get ready.

This guide will help the families in your ministry to take time and consider what it means that Jesus came to earth as Immanuel, God with us. 

Grab this reading plan for the families at your church and share encouragement this Christmas season.

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