Sunday, December 7, 2025
Isaiah 11:1–10
A Hope That Grows from Stumps
Isaiah’s vision begins in a place most of us would overlook, a stump. Something cut down, something that looks finished. Yet God brings new life from places we assumed were done. A shoot rises, small but determined, carrying the promise of peace, justice, and a future shaped by God’s Spirit.
Maybe there are places in your life that feel like stumps, where something didn’t go the way you hoped, or where loss or disappointment seems to be the final word. But Advent reminds us that God’s work often begins in hidden, surprising places. Hope, in God’s hands, grows quietly at first, and then more boldly than we expect.
As you worship today, may you sense that the God who brings life from stumps is at work in you too, planting something steady, faithful, and good.
Prayer:
God of new beginnings, help us trust the small shoots of hope you are growing in us. Give us eyes to see your promise and courage to follow your peace. Amen.
a journey in existence 