Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

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Shoots of Hope Sprouting from Ashes

December 8, 2022 by Ellen 4 Comments

The sugarcane fields are bare and burnt. Excess cane leaves, consumed by the fire that clears the chaff and waste, are a heap of ashes.  Rows and rows of blackened, fallen stalks scream “No hope! No hope!” They burned, consumed by flames, with no expectation of life or usefulness again. The harvest is over.

Ah, but in a day or two, tiny shoots of green are sprouting up, ready to grow sweet cane for next season’s harvest. 

How can that be? Only ashes remained of the cane. But deep in the ground, below the top soil, a root ball survived. The roots are still alive and growing, watered by the condensation from the heat above. A remnant of the former grand stalks of cane, and from that root, new cane sprouts, bringing hope of an abundant harvest.

The Jewish people seemed to be in a hopeless situation. God had promised that the throne of David would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 16). Unfortunately, the kings from the line of David turned from God, and God’s people followed them. Their kingdoms fell, their families fell apart, they are taken into exile. The family tree burned to a nub of charred ash. 

From exile, they came back home to rebuild their country and their temple.  In time, they came under the rule of the Romans. But who remained in the Davidic line to be their king? The Israelites were expecting a military or political savior to deliver them from Roman rule and oppression. Who would this man be? Who would save them?

“Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.”  Isaiah 11:1 CSB

Who could have imagined that a shoot would grow, green and tall to deliver the Jewish people? Who knew that the Savior would be a child? Who knew this child would be the root promised years ago. 

God knew. He had promised, and His promises always prevail. God promised a root would grow. A branch would bear fruit. The people had hope.  A remnant left, a shoot sprouting up from the stump of a life that seems as if it has gone up in flames. 

  “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Luke 1:31-33 NASB

Hope was born in a manger those many years ago. A green shoot of life rising from the ashes. Jesus is His name. Emmanuel, God with us.

Have your Christmas dreams have gone up in smoke, due to circumstances beyond your control? When the marriage fractures or you lose your job, things seem hopeless.  When loved ones die, when lives are destroyed by fires of affliction, things seem hopeless. But remember: underneath the burning fields, the roots of your life are watered. Soon a small green shoot will appear. 

Hope. 

Jesus.

There is always hope, when Jesus is your Savior. 

 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16 NASB

When you look back at the fires you’ve walked through, seeing only smoke and ashes, remember to search for that tiny stump that refuses to die. The root of Jesse – hope and salvation of the world. The sprout of hope that is Jesus, the bright morning star of a new day dawning. A spot of green in all the black and brown rubble. 

Hope.

Jesus.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

 

Until next time,

 

 

 

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Bible bites: Going Home and Coming Home, Exodus and Ezra

November 17, 2022 by Ellen 2 Comments

This month is the start of the holiday season, where food abounds! So, we’ll be talking tasty tidbits from scripture. You know those little bites of deliciousness that you can nibble on all day. Little bites, small but meaty and oh so good for your soul.

Today we’ll be talking about going home and coming home. Let’s begin in Exodus.

“I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:21-22 NASB

God knew Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Hebrew people go easily. Pharaoh wouldn’t give them anything for their journey home, either. He was a meanie! But God! He provided for His people. The material the Israelites plundered and carried out of Egypt became part of what they used to construct the tabernacle. God sent them on their way with building supplies. 

I image the Egyptians were happy to provide what was needed. After all, they’d been subject to God’s plagues: Bloody water, frogs, gnats, flies, diseased livestock, boils, hail and fire, locusts, darkness and finally the unthinkable-death of the first born child in each family. Horrors! I would’ve kicked them out too! Get out! And don’t come back!

Next, we have the Israeli exiles returning from Babylon. They had been captives for 70 years. Slaves in servitude, like their forefathers in Egypt. After 70 years, God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to allow the exiles to go home and rebuild. 

Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed long ago when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city and surrounding area. The Hebrew people would be freed slaves, traveling with nothing, going home to nothing. Zilch. Zero.

But God. 

“‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;” Ezra 1:4, 6-7 NASB

God provided, so His people could come home and rebuild His temple. Going and coming, building or rebuilding, God will provide all you need. Amen and amen!

What a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness!

 

 

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Torrential rains had been pelting us for weeks. With the rains came weeds growing tall in the flower beds. But I noticed other new growth, too. It wasn’t colorful flowers. It was teeny, tiny little oak trees! Squirrels had been working hard, burying food for later. The rains had soaked and softened … Read More...

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