Have you ever seen a flower strain and push to grow? Imagine a flower saying, “I think I can! I think I can!” While lifting its head towards the sky and trying to get taller. Sometimes, we can see the faults in ourselves and struggle and strive to be better in our own strength, but let’s look at how God makes the flowers grow for real.
It’s started as a seed and the first thing that grows is the roots. People may not be able to see your growth right away, and maybe you don’t even see it either. But as you sit in the presence of the Son, and receive His nourishment while being planted in good soil, you will grow.
The flower begins to come up, but it doesn’t look like a flower. Not yet, not at all. It looks like some green thing coming up out of the ground. But God knows what He’s planted. He knows what that flower will become, just as He knows what He’s growing and developing in you.
Finally the flower lifts its leaves to heaven in worship and the flower blooms. It faces the sunshine that illuminates it and makes it a beautiful thing to behold.
We are all like those flowers in God’s kingdom. Some of us are just growing our roots and don’t have anything beautiful to look at yet. Some of us are just coming up, and feel we’re quickly passed over; but some are reaching out for heaven, getting ready to bloom, while others are in full bloom, basking in the presence of the Son.
Notice what the flowers need to grow; good soil, nourishment and sunlight. We can ask God to plant us in good soil and remove the weeds from our garden. This is His job as the Master Gardener. Nourishment can be found in the word of God and through His Spirit. Sunlight represents the presence of God.
When the flower has the things it needs to grow, and the Master Gardener is allowed to work in the garden, the growth almost seems effortless. There is no straining or striving, just sitting in the presence of the sun, receiving nourishment, and standing tall, as the flower it was meant to be.
© Carolyn Rice 2013
