THROUGH THE EYES OF CREATION

My mother loves daylilies! She has hundreds of them and her yard is ablaze with color right now. I, too, enjoy them and have numerous ones that she has generously shared with me. I never see them that I do not think of her.

One of the things that she loves most about the daylily is that God creates all that beauty for us to enjoy. She often reminds people that God tells us to "consider the lily.... [for] Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like [JUST] one of these" (Matt. 6: 28, 29).

Just look at the detail on the one above. Note the ruffled edges and the shading of pale pink toward the outside edges. Oh, I wish you could see it UP CLOSE! It is SOOO beautiful!!

But....tomorrow, this beautiful bloom will be gone just like the manna God provided in the desert for the Israelites. It is only good for ONE day. He will open up some new ones tomorrow for us to enjoy and they will be stunningly beautiful too.

Reminds me of how God says that His mercies are "new every morning" (Lamentations 3: 22, 23) He provides fresh grace every day. It is also a reminder to us that we are to live moment by moment, leaning on Him. Psalms 68:19 tells us that the Lord "daily loads us with benefits". We do not have to get all we can today because there might be a shortage tomorrow. God is not going to be too busy for us tomorrow. He is not going to forget about us tomorrow. No, just like the new lily that will bloom tomorrow, God will be there once again with new mercies, new grace, new blessings and an outpouring of His precious, redeeming love.

Wow!! Isn't it amazing that one little flower could speak to us of ALL that!? No wonder it is said "

"One is nearer God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth"

---Dorothy Frances Gurney

So if you are feeling distant from God today or if you have trouble really believing that He exists or that He loves you, find yourself a garden and stop and take a walk. Take time to "smell the roses", look closely at God's handiwork. James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." . "From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is , His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made." (Romans 1: 20)

Yes, you will find evidence of God all around you in a garden. He will speak to you there if you will open your eyes to SEE Him and open your ears to HEAR His still small voice. I will close with the words to one of my favorite old hymns "In the Garden"....

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear

Falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me

And He talks with me

And tells me I am His own.

And the joy we share

As we tarry there

None other has ever known.