A Journey Through Advent: Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021
by The Rev. Canon Whitney Rice,
Canon for Evangelism and Discipleship Development
Today's Readings: Psalm 72:1-8; Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 10:21-24
We encounter a strange image for the coming Messiah in Isaiah 11: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse.” You’ve seen this — a tree gets chopped down to a stump, and a little shoot starts growing out of it.
Most people view this as an unwanted eyesore. Having these ragged little branches growing out of it makes a tree stump look unkempt and messy and homely. When you think about it, it is an odd image to use to describe Jesus. He’s the new King of Israel, and he’s described as a fragile branch growing out of an unsightly old stump. Not exactly triumphant or powerful.
But the interesting thing about branches on trees is that they grow right on the edge. Very little of the growth of a tree happens internally, down in the trunk. New cells are produced right at the very edge and build outward, fragile but brave.
What are the edges of your life that need your attention to really start growing? What are the parts of you that feel unfinished and vulnerable, that you are afraid to let out into the light? It may be winter, but we’re not afraid to grow. Be like Jesus, and branch out.
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