Flowers
Dan Kunz
In our part of the world, winter is finally gone (I think). The old adage, “April showers bring May flowers” is still generally true and so, usually around Mother’s Day, a lot of people begin their spring ritual of cleaning out flower beds, re-mulching them, and planting an assortment of annual and perennial plants and flowers. In western Wisconsin, where we live, a fair number of Amish families have an abundance and variety of flowers which is literally beyond description. (I believe the abundance has to do with the by-products of the horses they use in their farming!) The Mennonites who live in the area also seem to have a “green thumb” when it comes to flowers and shrubs. My wife and I visited one of their green houses on a recent “flower safari” and came home with dozens of the healthiest and most beautiful flowers you can imagine. Some are arranged in pots around our deck and some are carefully planted in a couple of areas near our front door.
Our church’s men’s Bible Study is currently studying the book, Tough Questions – Reasoned Answers by Paul Kelm. The premise of the book is that although we can’t “prove” the existence of God in a scientific sense, our logical human brains can explore reasons we believe God exists. One of the reasons mentioned in the book is the incredible beauty of God’s creation. Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Whether admiring a sunset over the ocean, the majesty of Mount Everest, or the dainty first steps of a newborn fawn, one can’t help but marvel over the love which God must have for beauty and has passed along to us. Flowers are a perfect and simple example of how God blesses our lives with the simple gift of beauty. Few places on earth exist where a flower can’t be grown, given the right circumstances. That’s an amazing gift!
God created plants on the third day of creation. Almost immediately, poets began to extol the glory of flowers. We know some plants, such as potatoes and peas, have flowers for reproductive purposes, but are primarily for food. Other plants, such as trees, are used for building or shelter. Poets generally don’t spend much time comparing their ladies to potatoes or pine trees, though. They reserve beautiful, delicate flowers such as roses for those comparisons. (Good idea!) Although some decorative flowers may be used for medicinal purposes and such, for the most part God simply created them to enhance our lives and bring a smile to our face because he loves us and wants us to appreciate not only the creation, but the Creator!
As Christians we know our Heavenly Father sent his Son into the world to suffer and die to pay the price for our sins. His resurrection guarantees we will someday also rise and be united with him for eternity. In the meantime, also take time to appreciate God’s love in the amazing home he has given us here, complete with sunsets, mountains, animals, and, especially in spring, glorious flowers – the colors, the variety, and the smell! It’s all for you! Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”.