Father, this evening I am grateful for the nice temperatures for a good hike with Massey, the opportunity to run some errands as a family, and being blessed to enjoy some good food together as well. Thank You for watching over us.
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As I mentioned, Massey and I had a good hike at Columbus’ Highbanks Metro Park. It’s not too far away from the Kohl’s at which I used to work. Altogether we walked over 4 miles! Since most of its trails are wooded, it was very enjoyable.
At one point we looped through an open glade, where I took the opportunity to take a few pictures. The one featured above is one of the shots I took of wild roses growing along the path. They would most surely be classified as wildflowers. No one tends them, no one feeds them, no one waters them. God alone tends, feeds, and waters them.
If the park system did not regularly mow a path around the glade, I would not have seen them at all but their beauty would have been no less. For they grow and live and shine for no one but their Creator, bringing Him glory.
I’m sure at some point that you’ve heard the phrase “bloom where you are planted”. It’s one of those things that’s been around for quite a while but is not really traceable as to its origin. I won’t go into all of that but I did find one possible reference in a Christianity.com article.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), when he was the Bishop of Geneva is recorded as saying this:
“Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.” (emphasis mine)
Far too many of us think too little of ourselves. We have this idea that we are insignificant. We are untalented in so many ways that we have this concept that where our talents do lie makes them inconsequential in the scheme of the world. But nothing could be further from the truth…at least not in God’s kingdom!
God made us to shine! Read through Frances de Sales’ quote once more.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines charity in Christian thought as, the highest form of love, signifying the reciprocal love between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love of one’s fellow men.
God’s love fills us through the Holy Spirit and our responsibility is to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.
So instead of feigning our insignificance, let’s get to work, as the glade’s wild roses, growing and living and shining for our Creator. Let’s bring Him glory by loving Him and others! Amen!
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
….and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
….with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
….or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
….and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT
June 23rd, 2022, Thurs, 7:27 pm
