O Root of Jesse, standing as sign among the peoples, 

before you kings will shut their mouths,

to you the nations will make their prayer:

Come and deliver us, and delay no longer! 

Today’s reading: Isaiah 11:1-2, 6-10

I wonder: can I hold in my mind the picture of a tree that has been broken and battered by a storm? How does that image make me feel?

I wonder how God’s people felt, when they heard these words from Isaiah? I wonder if it was hard to believe that there was still life and promise in the roots of the broken tree?

Are there any ways that my heart is like this broken stump? What in me needs to be nourished by God’s love? Can I talk to God about that right now?

I wonder what it will be like, when Jesus, the Root of Jesse, comes to be with us again. Can I imagine a world where a wolf will live with a lamb, and no one will hurt or destroy? Can I imagine a time when everyone knows and trusts God’s love for them? What can I say to God about that time?

We Wonder is written and hosted by Sarah Dahl; produced by Richard Clark; and engineered by Nick Thompson and Noah Kirby. You can keep in touch with us on Instagram and Twitter by following @wewonderpod, or read more at wewonderpod.com. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll see you tomorrow!