Thankful for November blooms and for x, y, z.

It's November, and this rose still has blossoms going.  I have to walk around the corner of my house to see it, but it's worth it!

Lingering signs of fruitfulness in late autumn have always thrilled me.  Hopeful, unexpected miracles of beauty minister to a world heading for winter.

Winter and deserts have this in common: it is rare to find growing, living things in winter, and in deserts.

One of God's specialties is making fruit grow from barren ground.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
    the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
it shall blossom abundantly
    and rejoice with joy and singing.
~Isaiah 35:1-2a (ESV)

Some barren ground near me lies parched.  I long to see the Spirit of God poured out like water on this ground, bringing forth the fruit of repentance, restoration and joy.

This is the business of the Lord.  The Lord took Aaron's walking stick, a dead branch completely cut off from root or water source:

. . . and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.
~from Numbers 17:8 (ESV)

God makes life flourish from lifeless places, wherever He chooses, by mercy and grace.

And you were dead 
in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked . . .
But God,
being rich in mercy,
because of the great love
with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses
made us alive in Christ --
by grace you have been saved!
~from Ephesians 2:1,2,4,5 (ESV- emphasis mine)

Xerophilous.  Xerophilous things thrive in a dry, inhospitable environment.  God can come, and produce the fruit of His Spirit from our formerly dry and barren hearts.  He not only can, He does.

That is X. 

Y is for yearning, the yearning of the Lord to gather His people under His wings and protect them, keep them, heal them, enlighten them, save them.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people . . .  
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
~1 Timothy 2:1,3,4 (ESV)

Z is for the zeal of the Lord, which will see that His purposes will be accomplished.

O Lord, your hand is lifted up,
    but they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.
    Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.
~Isaiah 26:11 (ESV)

God has zeal for His people, and He will trample down the evil that rages against them.  He will save His children with mighty acts of judgment and an outstretched arm.   He will bring us home to His Kingdom to live forever in glory.

X, Y, Z.   Xerophilous (Xerophilousness?).  Yearning.  Zeal.

I am thankful that my God makes life spring up out of barren places, and that He has both the inclination and the ability to accomplish this miracle. 

I am thankful for beautiful rose blossoms blooming amidst the dry, crumbling leaves in my yard.