SHOWERS AND FLOWERS
You know the saying–April showers bring May flowers. Well, we did have a few April showers. Guess that allows for some May flowers. At least in this wilderness time of lockdown and isolation, we certainly could use some color. As I think of the flowers blooming in our yard, I am reminded of some of God’s blessings that bloom in spite of the aridness of the daily news about CoronaVirus-19. The Red Carpet Roses in our yard are starting to blossom. They stay low to the ground and they really give life to our front yard. They remind me that Jesus came lowly, riding on the foal of a donkey, and a few days later poured out His life blood to give us life eternal. Then there are our Irises. Ours are purple—brilliant purple. Irises only come out for a few weeks and then they are gone. They remind me of royalty—purple has long been the color of kings. Jesus came for a short period time and remained in the grave for an even shorter period of time so that I might inherit eternity with him and rule one day with him in his kingdom. Then there is the Verbena in my neighbor’s yard. Their blooms are white in color and remind me of doctors. Doctors wear white gowns, showing their germ-free readiness to do surgery. It reminds me that my Great Physician was sinless, spotless, without blemish, and fully able to bring healing to my sin sick heart. His surgery was perfect, for though my sins were as scarlet, yet now they have been made white as snow. Finally, there is my lawn. It isn’t much—postage stamp in size—not even big enough for fake grass. But we do keep it green—actually my gardener keeps it green. It reminds me of life—life eternal and life abundant that the gardener of my soul, Jesus Christ, gave me the day I admitted to myself that I needed a gardener for my soul. Well there it is. Maybe April didn’t give me too many “showers of blessing” but Jesus gives me “flowers of blessing” that remind me that life in Him is truly beautiful.
Pastor Mike