Flowers and Life

Rain in the spring is instrumental in supplying unparalleled beauty for us to enjoy through the lovely plants we call flowers.  There are 20 verses in the Bible (NIV) which speak about flowers with several of these verses connecting flowers to the human lifecycle of birth, life and death.  There are parallels from the life cycle of flowers that give us insights from God’s Word that are applicable for our lives.

Birth.  Flowers spring up, they take on new life, and they begin the process of growth.  The Bible reminds us that, “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).  It is because of God’s love that He brings us into the world.  We are creations of his endowed with tremendous potential and born into the world to start the process of physical growth.

Life.  Words used to explain this part of the cycle indicate that flowers appear, they flourish, they have buds and blossoms, they open, and glory is associated with them.  Flowers are beautiful.  Jesus reminds those with whom he is speaking that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  There is more to life than just living.  Jesus offers abundant life and eternal life which is available to us through the person of Jesus Christ.

Death.  We are told that the flower withers, fades, passes away, falls, and blows away.  It begins with a tiny seed that grows and blossoms.  However, it lasts for only a short time until its glory fades.  The Bible says, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).  Since our time on earth is short we are told, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Essentially, we learn from flowers that life is valuable because God created us.  Life is also meant for living abundantly because God gifted each of us with abilities to make a difference in the lives of other people.  Sometimes we don’t want to (or don’t like to) hear that life is short.  However, that is reality.  Therefore, we ought to thank God for life and be ready to spend eternity with Him.  Are you ready for eternity?  Listen to this, “And this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (I John 5:11-13).