Consider How the Flowers Grow - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 22
Consider How the Flowers Grow
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you – you of little faith!” – Luke 12:27-28, NIV
During May, I love to visit gardens to see flowers. It’s one of my favorite ways to relax. Flowers become so beautiful just by doing what they were made to do, without any stress. Looking at them, I’m reminded that I can trust God to take care of me, too.
We can get overwhelmed with everything we must do in our busy lives. We might even start worrying about the future. But Jesus tells us not to worry and to look at the simple beauty of nature to inspire us to make a different choice. He tells us to think about how wildflowers grow as a reminder that God cares for everything he made – including us. These verses remind us that God loves and cares for even the most minor parts of his creation. The flowers grow naturally, depending on God for everything they need. They don’t worry about whether they’ll have enough. They trust what God provides for them – and in the process, they become beautiful. We may worry about what we need for our health, money, relationships, and much more. But Jesus says to look at the flowers and learn from them. They grow well under God’s care without worrying – just by being what God made them to be.
If God cares so much for these short-lived flowers, how much more will God care for us, his children? Our worries can make us forget to trust God’s provision. Jesus asks us to have more faith. He challenges us to trust that God knows what we need and will provide it at the right time. Just like the flowers rely on God for everything, Jesus invites us to rely on God for everything we need. This means believing that God knows our needs and is working to meet them best for us.
Beautiful flowers also show us how amazing God’s work is in our lives. God’s care for us includes paying attention to every little detail. If God puts so much care into making flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow and look beautiful, how much more does God care about the details of our lives? This should make us feel grateful and give us peace, knowing that our lives are in the hands of a loving God.
Just as flowers grow without effort, trusting God to provide, we can rest assured that God will meet our needs. We should still work hard on what God has given us to do. But we never need to worry about our needs being met because we can always trust our loving Heavenly Father to provide what we need. So, let’s enjoy the simple beauty of flowers and let their beauty remind us of God’s beautiful care for us. May we grow in faith, knowing that the God who clothes the flowers so well will take care of us!
Intersecting Faith and Life
As you consider how flowers can inspire you to trust God more, reflect on these questions:
- When you feel overwhelmed by worries, how can enjoying flowers help you relieve stress and find a fresh perspective?
- What specific needs do you find most challenging in trusting God to help you? What steps can you take to practice trusting God more to meet those needs?
- How does the idea that God cares for all the details of your life give you a sense of security?
- Think of a time when God surprisingly met a need for you. How can remembering that experience strengthen your faith?
- How can you create more moments in your daily life to appreciate the simple beauty of God’s creation and use those moments to connect with God?
Further Reading
Matthew 6:33-34
Philippians 4:6-7
Psalm 23:1
1 Peter 5:7
Isaiah 40:8
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Oleksandr Yakoniuk
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