阅读经文 

在以赛亚书中，有几段经文警告神的子民，由于他们弃绝了主，不忠于主，他们将遭受毁灭。然而，正如我们在今天的经文中所发现的，神也宣告祂将扭转这种局面，使他们得到医治和修复。

当以赛亚写到松树将代替荆棘生长时，我想到了我们家附近生长的带刺入侵植物，它们非常难以清除。如果能把这些植物彻底铲除，那将是多么美好的礼物啊！荆棘和蒺藜使人和许多动物不适宜居住，所以，如果能用松树和番石榴取代这些碍眼的植物，那将是多么美好啊！这不仅意味着环境会更加惬意，而且取代这些没用植物的灌木和树木也是可以食用和药用的。松树和番石榴既美丽又实用——松树有防腐作用；番石榴提供美味、营养丰富的酱果，叶子可以入药。

我们奇妙的神会用既赏心悦目又能食用的灌木和树木代替荆棘，这不是很美妙吗？这表明了神对祂的子民的细心关怀。

你在哪些方面看到神在你的生命中作工，用悦目又美好的东西代替荆棘和蒺藜呢？

Several passages in Isaiah warn God's people about the destruction that will come upon them because they have rejected the Lord and been unfaithful. And yet, as we find in our passage for today, God also declares that he will reverse the situation and bring about healing and restoration.

When Isaiah writes that the juniper will grow instead of the thornbush, I think of the thorny, invasive plants that grow near our house and are very hard to get rid of. What a gift it would be to have those rooted out for good! Thornbushes and briers make places inhospitable to people and many animals, so to have those harsh plants replaced by junipers and myrtle would be wonderful. This means not only that the situation would be more bearable, but also that the shrubs and trees replacing the unwanted plants would be edible and medicinal. Junipers and myrtles are beautiful as well as functional—unipers have antiseptic properties, and myrtles provide delicious, nutrient-rich berries and have leaves that can be used for medicine.

Isn't it wonderful to know that our amazing God would replace thorns with shrubs and trees that are both pleasant to the sight and good for food? This demonstrates God's attentive care for his people.

In what ways do you see God at work in your life, replacing thorns and briers with things that are both pleasant and good?