There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit (Isaiah 11:1).
In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious (Isaiah 11:10).
God can be trusted to keep his promises. The timetable in which they are kept isn’t up to us. David was the son of Jesse and a great king of Israel. God had promised his people a king from David’s line, but having a stump for a family tree didn’t seem promising. Isaiah’s prophecy reminds us that even when there’s no fruit to be found, roots deep underground are working to produce fruit.
God’s promise of an eternal king is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6–7).
Immanuel (“God With Us”), increase our faith to believe that even when we can’t see progress, you are always at work. Change our hearts to reflect yours this holiday season.
