Wednesday in the Word: Beauty

 

                Remember last week when I said I’d come back to Psalm 37 this week? I might have meant two weeks!

                But I want to tell you today the piece of Scripture that ran through my head over and over yesterday.

                The day was a bit rough. Nothing major happened, but I struggled through a bunch of strong feelings and worries. In a rare twist, we had a night at home, and I had read that it was safe to begin planting, so I decided to plant as many flowers as possible in one evening.

                After dinner, I made my way outside, pulled out the plants, the dirt, the trowel…and I began turning dirt over and over in the planters. I loosened it up, smiled at the squirrels’ treasures that cycled to the top, and scooted browned leaves to the side.

                I nestled new plants in their homes for the summer, tucked them in with fresh dirt, and gave them long drinks of water.

                And all the while, I celebrated the intricate beauty God made. And I remembered these words from Matthew 6: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious…”

                These sweet little plants have been hanging on for dear life in the wild temperature swings Indiana has thrown at them…the wind, the sun, the rain, the cover of the garage, the field trips to the patio. And honestly, some of them look a little ragged. I planted them, prayed over them, and trusted that the God who clothes the grass of the field cares about petunias and tomatoes.

                And I remembered that the hard parts of the day are fleeting. The things that settled over my heart and made me sad are temporary. They won’t unglue or undo me. The Lord knows and has the solutions already worked out.

                Meanwhile, what a privilege it is to tend to my flower pots, to give homes to baby beauties that will grow and provide joy to us and to all who make their way past our home.

                If your day is peppered with worries and fears, maybe a few hours in the garden or the flower bed can bring you some joy, too!