I love flowers.
Ranunculus’ specifically.
They are very rare and hard to come by- I think that’s why I love them.
When my husband and I moved into our first house on Bernard Avenue, I couldn’t wait to plant flowers in my front yard. So the first moment I had, I ran over to Fred Meyer and purchased some Ranunculus’. They were beautiful! Such a variety of oranges and corals and crèmes! I couldn’t stop smiling all the way home as I fantasized over these rare and very pricey little creatures. As soon as I got home, I suited up with all my necessary gardening accessories and dove into my bed of dirt. It took me about 2 hours to ready the soil before I planted my babies. But alas! I was finished!
I stood back and adored them. I was overjoyed. Elated. Proud!
And a week later, they were all dead.
In the beginning of the Bible, God gave Adam and Eve a simple command, “Take care of your garden.”
God was talking both literally and figuratively; not only were they to take care of the place they lived in, but they need to tend to their hearts too.
And I believe God is asking the same of us.
Your life. My life.
The good. The bad. The ugly. The lovely.
Kind of like us sometimes, isn’t it?
At first glance, we “seem” to have it all. We’re stunning! Beautiful! Peaceful! But then the longer we allow others the permission to walk through our room, the deterioration starts.
The honest version of our life begins to surface… the bare walls…the unfinished trim…the cheap décor from IKEA that never lasts more than an hour.
So what do we do?
Most of us isolate and don’t allow anyone to see our rooms (aka gardens). And it’s possible that some of us have gotten so good at hiding, that it has become a way of life and we wouldn’t know how to change it- even if we wanted to.
How long has it been since Jesus walked through your garden? Has it been so long that you fear He would reject your invitation? An invitation to walk by all that is living and all that is dead. To rejoice with you. To mourn with you. To bring the lovely to those dark places.
Because you see, Jesus is light. He just is. And if you’re willing to invite Him in, He can’t help but bring truth in place of the lies, and expose what isn’t supposed to be there.
Jesus is patiently waiting. Waiting for your invitation. He wants to come in. Today. Right now. He’s the One knocking on the door. And because Jesus is dripping with grace and mercy, He will come in- not with eyes of judgement- but with eyes full of love to clean with you… organize with you…grieve with you… laugh with you.
Whatever your heart needs right now, He wants to be THAT.
Watch out Merry Maids. Because the competition is FIERCE!!!!
Love, Audra