A beautiful day to be out and about, Father! Thank You for the exceptional companionship and the opportunity to enjoy our time together. I am most certainly blessed!
********
Tuesday, I had the opportunity to mow the grounds around the one church I pastor. It’s a good workout but not too overwhelming to accomplish. After I finished and loaded up everything, I took the time to stop and take a picture of a cluster of beautiful lilies growing vivaciously along a lovely backdrop of low-growing pine.
I think this particular variety is an Enchantment Asiatic Lily.
From what I understand, horticulturist Jan de Graaff took lilies that were considered delicate and temperamental at the beginning of the 20th century, requiring special conditions and exotic planting methods, and through hybridization helped make them a favorite garden flower. Enchantment was the first hybrid lily that he produced back in 1941. It was also the first lily to bear its flowers upright, rather than on drooping stems or facing outward on stiff stems. (Interestingly enough, most of this information is from his obituary published in the New York times in November 1989 – Jan de Graaff, Tamer of the Wild Lily… The entire obituary is a very interesting read.)
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus speaks of the birds and flowers. Here is the portion where Jesus spoke of lilies and wildflowers.
And why are you worried about clothes? See how the lilies and wildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [wool to make clothing], yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory and splendor dressed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying… ‘What are we going to wear?’ For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” vs28-34 AMP
After a meeting this past Monday we spoke of those lilies and weren’t really sure who had planted them but there they are blooming in all their glory. They shine brightly, blooms held high for all to see in praise of their Creator!
May they point us to our Creator as well and help us to realize that God gives attention to something so fragile, so delicate, clothing something so simple as a flower that will share its beauty for a few short days and then will not be seen until after their rebirth the next year.
God cares so much more about us! So, heed Jesus’ command, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Amen!
June 24th, 2021, Thurs, 9:54 pm
