God’s Flowers
By Joan Walker Hahn
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 NKJV
It had been a very hard spring. And going forward into the summer months were going to be even harder.
My Dad had gotten very sick in March. It was a very hard few months before the dreaded diagnosis came. Cancer. A very rare form of lymphoma. But at least the family finally had an answer of why he had been so close to death for months. So early summer brought rounds of chemo and days when we were not sure my Dad would make it. But my Mom was steadfastly by his side.
She was there to take care of all his needs. There to witness his cries of despair. There to see the once strong, vital leader of the home she trusted to take care of all her needs, suddenly unable to take care of himself.
Mom had always loved working with her flowers in the spring and summer. She had flower pots on the carport filled with various plants. She had barrels in the yard filled with flowers. She faithfully watered and tended to them. It was relaxing for her and, in a way, therapeutic for her to tend to them.
But that spring and summer was very different. The carport was not filled with flower pots. The water she served was in cups she constantly put before my Dad in an effort to keep him hydrated. But God.
She first noticed the small coleus on the ground at the edge of the carport. Soon she noticed several coming up. The only thing she could think of was that the summer before she had a pot of coleus on the carport and perhaps some seeds had fallen on the ground and was now bursting into life.
She kept an eye on those precious few plants. She had always loved coleus because of the colorful foliage. But those few plants multiplied. And multiplied. Within a short time, the whole length of the carport was lined with a rainbow of color. And they grew taller and taller until they were waist high.
It all started with a few seeds the wind had blown away from the source. Those seeds weathered the storms, the cold of winter and lack of attention.
But in God’s perfect timing, He put life into those seeds and they burst forth from the ground in such abundance, more than possibly could have been planted or arranged by my Mom’s small hands. And the rainbow of color brought to mind the promise of God’s faithfulness.
Mom called them God’s flowers. She was sure that God knew she needed them. Although she trusted in her heart that God was with her and was faithful, He displayed His love for her in a visible, undeniable way.
Are you waiting for a sign from God? Are you in a place where you feel God just doesn’t see your pain, or if He does, He just doesn’t care?
Look around, dear friend. God plants beauty around us. It may be in the wonders of nature or the smile from a stranger. It may be a hug from a friend or a prayer lifted up. Or it could be God speaking to you right now. He sees you. He knows what you need.
Just trust Him to bring to life the seed maybe long ago planted that is now ready to burst forth in a vibrant example of His love.
Heavenly Father, I am so in awe of Your love! To think that You will allow simple things to happen just to prove to me Your love. Help me to feel Your presence. Help me to see Your hand moving. Don’t let me overlook Your flowers! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2018 by Joan Walker Hahn. All rights reserved.
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