Joy when the fig tree fails
Today's focusThe prophet chooses to rejoice in God even when the harvest fails; joy rests in the Lord himself, who gives strength like a deer on the heights.
Read
17Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Reflection
There are seasons when everything seems to go wrong. You may look at your life and see that "the fig tree shall not blossom" or "the fields shall yield no meat." When your hard work feels lost and the "labour of the olive shall fail," it is natural to feel empty or afraid. The prophet describes a scene where the stalls are empty and the vines bear no fruit. This is not a lack of faith; it is a difficult reality of life where resources disappear and the harvest we hoped for does not arrive.
Yet, in the middle of this emptiness, you are invited to look toward a different source of life. The prophet makes a powerful choice: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD." This joy does not come from a full barn or a successful harvest, but from "the God of my salvation." When you feel weak or stuck in the valley of loss, remember that "the LORD God is my strength." He provides the steady grace to make your "feet like hinds’ feet," allowing you to walk securely upon the "high places" even when the ground below feels uncertain.
AI-written reflection on the passage above. Let Scripture itself be the main thing.
Reflect
Where is it hard to find joy in your circumstances right now, and what is true about God that does not change with them?
Pray
Lord, even when things around me are empty or uncertain, I want to rejoice in you, the God of my salvation. Be my strength. Set my feet on high places, where I can see your faithfulness again.