The dry, sandy desert soil has wide fissures and is hard underfoot. Few insects, birds or animals roam its’ vast expanse.

But, in some places, from time to time, the dark clouds gather, the air humidifies and finally, the clouds burst. Soon, every nook and cranny is filled, the water table rises, streams gush from the ground, pools fill, and the thirsty land is watered. 

Below the surface, unseen latent and dormant seeds and bulbs are reached by the deeply penetrating waters. These germinate, flower, and attract vast numbers of insects, birds and reptiles, seemingly from nowhere.  This phenomenon is called ‘desert bloom.’ 

The landscape hasn’t just changed. It has been transformed…revived! 

In these challenging and often confusing days, I long for that – both in my life and in the life of our churches! If you do too, read on because the words of the prophet Isaiah have much to say to us. 

Through Isaiah, God spoke to a people seeking to negotiate their ‘way in the desert.’ Isaiah Chapter 35, verses 5-10 shows us that God longs to be on the move amongst his people, bringing not just hope and refreshing, but utter transformation. 

‘And when he comes,’ we are told, ‘Springs will gush forth in the wilderness and streams will water the wasteland.  The parched land will become a pool, and Springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.  And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (New Living Translation.) 

During challenging and barren times, it can be tempting to look around for things to quickly satiate our thirst, attract life and make things flourish, both in our personal and church life.

Two phrases at the start of the passage need some explanation to help us grasp their full meaning. 

1. The words ‘And when he comes’ refer to a genuine and profound encounter with God. 
2. A more literal meaning of the phrase translated as ‘parched ground’ (NIV and NLT) is ‘mirage’ – a phenomenon caused by the reflection of the hot rays of the sun on the hot ground. 

Are we, I wonder, prepared to do whatever is necessary to truly encounter the living God…or will we run this way and that chasing the latest mirage? How might we discern which is which? 

Verse 8 tells us. If we are to be genuinely discerning and truly encounter God, we need to walk the ‘highway of holiness’ – the great road that passes through that once desert land.  

We cannot seek his gifts without walking in the way of the gift-giver. We cannot expect our lives or that of our churches to flourish unless we are prepared to walk the ‘highway of holiness.’ So where can this highway be found?  

The writer of the New Testament book of John picks up on this in John 14 when Jesus identifies himself with the ‘highway’ saying ‘I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’

Jesus is the holy highway we are to follow. Following his way enables us to encounter God in our midst; an encounter that will bring renewal, restoration, and utter transformation – not just a tinkering round the edges. I wonder, are we prepared for such a change? 

His highway is reserved for the redeemed who have been made clean and holy. We do not want to step to the left or to the right, for the highway is a place of safety where no wild beasts will be found (Isaiah 35 v 8). His holy highway is also a place of joy: 

“They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10). 

Today’s world can seem confusing, dry and barren. It can seem spiritually hard and with little in the way of abundant life. But….I believe that just below the surface lie unseen latent and dormant seeds and bulbs. 

Whilst I don’t believe we can make revival happen; I do believe that we can help shape a culture where an outpouring of His Spirit is more likely. That will mean committing together to walk the ‘highway of holiness’ and committing to following the One who says, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’ 

Then, just maybe the rain clouds will gather, the air humidify and the clouds burst until the Spirit of God is bursting forth, watering a thirsty land, and not just bringing change, but joyful transformation! 

‘Springs will gush forth in the wilderness and streams will water the wasteland.  The parched land will become a pool, and Springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass, reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.  

If you feel parched and thirsty and want the Holy Spirit to be poured into your life afresh as God’s people, let’s encourage one another! Whilst I certainly can’t promise revival or renewal, wouldn’t it be fantastic if more and more in the church started talking and thinking about ‘preparing the ground’, radical discipleship and the Holy Spirit’s transforming power?