For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. —Romans 15:4

Friday, June 3, 2011

Flowers Fade

1 Peter 1:23-25
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”


On the corner, an old house stands curtainless. A black shutter severed from the window leans against the pocket-sized balcony. The yellow paint curls and drops to the ground.  Knee high grass needs mowed and weeds choke out summer bouquets.  The home’s life seemed to disappear except for the hosta whose rich, green, broad leaves stretch across the sidewalk and drink in the sun. Their spikes shoot out bearing lavender lily-like flowers, a sign of hope.

Every day I drive by this abandoned house. I remember when the owners painted it yellow with white trim and added the black shutters. That was just a few years ago. Since then they moved away, and no one has come along to care for the house. Sometimes I am like the old dwelling. When I pull away from God, stop praying, or forget to read my Bible, my spirit fades like the paint.  My heart aches and my mind drifts. But, Jesus does not give up on me. Like the hosta plant, the Holy Spirit grows in me and brings the joy back to my life. If I listen to the promptings of the Spirit, and obey God, he renews my desire to read my Bible and pray. I praise God for his word that endures forever.

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