What Can we Learn from a Flower?

I bought an Amaryllis bulb for my wife several weeks ago. She is a very busy lady and forgot about it for a few weeks. About a month ago, she finally potted it and put it in the window.

It grew up, up and up. We wondered if it was one of those beanstalks like that of Jack. It looked like that was all it was going to do until it reached height of about 29 inches. Then, it put out these beautiful blooms.

I usually don't get too caught up in flowers but this one really got my attention. I just kept thinking of how amazing life is - even plant life. I kept saying to myself, "How could this just be an accident? This little flower is so beautifully designed. How could anyone miss it?"

But there are all kinds of things we miss every day, like the many breaths we breathe, each heartbeat and the happy thoughts which flow through our minds. We sometimes miss out on the refreshment of a drop of water on a parched tongue. We easily ignore the coolness of the breeze on a summer day or the warm touch of a loved one's embrace. How often do we fail to value the sweetness of a child's laughter and cute, innocent remarks? Do we really appreciate the many little honeydew drops from heaven which fall upon us each day such as the smile of a friend or the unexpected kindness shown to us by a stranger?

The flower should cause us to stand in awe of our Creator. Genesis, the first book of the bible, states: 

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1.11-12)

As I look a little closer at this great flower, I see the intricate design of something that was created for beauty for the the enjoyment of God's crowning creation – mankind. Jesus talks about the glory of the lilies. 

The flower also teaches us the importance of having the peace of God and demonstrates the value of a worry-free life. Jesus says: 

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Luke 12.27)

The bible also talks often about how the beauty of a flower soon fades and compares this to our own short lives which will soon be over. (Isaiah 40.7-8)

It is easier to see the brevity of life as we grow older. Time is like a rolling snowball; it picks up more and moves faster with each rotation. Soon we will be finished with this short trial we all call life (in this world as we know it).

After this life is over, we will all stand before our Holy God in judgment (Hebrews 9.27). How will you stand before him then, as a condemned sinner or a forgiven saint? Are you ready to meet your Creator? (Amos 4.12)

Jesus died to take the judgment away from sinners such as ourselves. Through faith you can know that when you stand before God that your judgment has already been absorbed by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross upon which he died.