Lessons from Flowers

During the summertime, most of us have seen many different kinds of flowers and heard comments expressing how beautiful the flowers look.  The color of flowers is exquisite and in most cases the fragrance is delightful.  Seeing gorgeous flowers may evoke positive memories of beautiful people, a fragrant perfume, reflections of perfection and goodness, or thoughts of a perfect God who has so generously made things for us to enjoy.

When we look at the beauty of flowers, let’s not just see pretty flowers, but let’s take time to learn lessons for Christian living.

1)    Beauty.  Flowers are beautifully dressed.  “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” (Luke 12:27).  They do not work or expend energy to look nice.  They are simply beautiful, because that is the way God made them.

2)    Faithfulness.  Flowers are compared to faithfulness.  “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field” (Isaiah 40:6). 

3)    Joy.  Flowers bring joy.  “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12).

4)    Contrast.  Flowers are contrasted with God’s Word.  “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

5)    Reminder.  Flowers are a reminder that life is short.  “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall” (1 Peter 1:24).

We ought to remember that God created the beauty that we see in the flowers, and He takes care of everything that He has created.  We should also remember that God created us and He takes care of us, too.  Listen to these words: “And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that 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 in the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30).

When you see a beautiful flower, take time to give thanks to God for His creative power.  However, do not forget to thank God for creating you and taking care of you.

 

What We Can Learn From Flowers

There's an old saying: “April showers bring May flowers.”  So, what can we learn about flowers from the Bible?  Here are some things I have discovered.

• The tabernacle had cups shaped like almond flowers (Exodus 25:33-34; 37:19-20).
• The temple had carvings of flowers on the walls and on the doors (I Kings 6:18. 20. 23. 35).
• Flowers appear on the earth (Song of Solomon 2:12).
• Flowers of the field are man’s glory (Isaiah 50:6).
• Flowers wither and fall (Isaiah 40:7-8; I Peter 1:24-25).

God must really enjoy flowers because he made them so beautiful and He gave instructions for instruments and ornamentations to be shaped or carved like flowers.  Flowers are beautiful—but they will not last.  However, there is something that will last—God’s Word.  Here is how the Apostle Peter puts it: “For, all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.  And this is the word that was preached to you” (I Peter 1:24-25).

What this tells me is that we should enjoy the beauty of the flowers that God has created, but we ought also to focus on enjoying the beauty of God’s Word.  His Word will last; flowers will not.  His Word will never fade away; flowers will.  Where are you spending your time?  I encourage you to make sure some of your time is spent in reading and listening to God’s Word.  That’s what we can learn from flowers.

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).

Apil Showers

“April showers bring May flowers’.  I’m sure that many times you have heard this rhyme and maybe you have found yourself repeating it.  The poem as we know it today originated in 1157 and was written by Thomas Tusser.  According to the New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3^rd edition, 2002, this statement refers to “some unpleasant occurrence about better things.”

In the Bible, the word “showers” is used 15 times in 14 different verses, all in the Old Testament.  With the exception of one verse, all of the references point to something that is very positive.  For example:

·       Showers are anticipated.  “They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain” (Job 29:23).

·       Showers come in season.  “I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill.  I will send down showers in season.” (Ezekiel 34:26a).

·       Showers can be referred to as more than just bleakness and rain but that which is very positive.  “There will be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26b).

·       Showers become refreshing dew on the grass.  “Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plant” (Deuteronomy 32:2).

·       Showers water the earth.  “He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth” (Psalm 72:6).

·       Showers are referred to as abundant showers.  “The clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind” (Job 36:28).

One thing about showers that seems to jump off the page is that we should use showers as a reminder to put our hope in the Lord.  Listen to this: “Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?  Do skies themselves send down showers?  No, it is you, O Lord our God.  Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this” (Jeremiah 14:22).  As you begin to enjoy everything the spring and summertime have to offer – the showers that God sends (along with flowers) are to remind you of His abundant blessing in your life.  Let showers be a reminder to place your hope in God.