Today we look at the famous Advent passage from Isaiah 11, verse 1, which is a prophecy about the stump of Jesse. Jesse’s lineage could be thought of as royalty because he was the father of David, the famous Old Testament shepherd turned king. From this stump, which was once a great house, a fruitful tree, a significant living entity that’s been chopped down — from it a shoot will be born. There will be a new king, and He will make things right. The previous kingdoms were centered around ego, selfishness, and violence. But this kingdom that is coming will be one of heart and will even be led by a child. And this, of course, is the king Jesus, who we celebrate and joyfully remember on Christmas day!

For those who believe in Jesus, there is a more profound metaphor for the broken stump. The chopped stump is Israel; if you’re a believer, you are grafted or transplanted into that family. You’re Israel. Maybe today, you feel like you’ve been chopped down, and you feel like a stump of your former self. Perhaps you may feel hollow, with a heart for God, but you have lost the vision for your life. I want you to stop picturing yourself as a chopped trunk and instead think of yourself as grafted onto the tree of life, a living tree, who is Christ Himself. On that tree, when you’re cut, you’re never really chopped; you’re just pruned. 

Friend, I want to assure you that you’re a pruned branch and that God is preparing you for something better! Have faith and accept the visions God has for your life.