THE PHLOX OF LIFE
Nature has a way of teaching us about God. After all, doesn't Paul tell us, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Rom 1:20) Well, today that creation reminded me about God's care and protection.
It all started this past May when Sheila's folks were visiting us and Sheila was pining away about her long-lived and, as yet, unsuccessful dream of establishing the pinnacle of rock gardenry. The year before she had made her first attempt and succeeded only in partially covering this huge protrusion of rock in our side yard with a bit of infertile clay and a dense carpet of surprisingly robust weeds. To be fair to Sheila, it's hard to keep a garden looking wonderful when we are busy half the summer and gone the rest of it, but Sheila is a determined soul and she was up for yet another attempt.
Thankfully, Sheila's mother did what all mothers should do. She encouraged my bride by purchasing for her a Phlox plant suitable for the environs of the rock garden. They then planted the greenery and hoped for the best. I have to say that the rock garden actually took off this year! It was a tremendous tribute to Sheila's horticultural chutzpah. The Phlox and other assorted roots and shoots grew and spread and basically did what they were created to do, even though we were gone for a month and there was little or no rain during that time.
Ok, now fast forward to the present time. Today, Sheila walked over to the office to deliver some mail and made an excited announcement. It seems that the Phlox is in bloom! Yep, you heard right. It has new pink buds on it and new leaves growing as well. Now, you need to know that from May until the fall, the Phlox had grown, but it had never flowered. Now it is - in the middle of a Canadian winter. Wow! It really is quite amazing. I mean, we really are having a winter with lots of snow, and, up until recently, some very cold days. Last week was sunny and relatively warm. Yesterday was rainy and a balmy 10 degrees Celsius (50 F). Still, we're in the middle of winter here and the brief window of milder conditions that are part of the typical January thaw isn't a happy place for flowers, so why would the Phlox flower now?
It could be that the horticultural hotshots among the Whatcha readership have an obvious answer, but I really don't want to hear it because regardless of the reason, this is a miracle of life that has a spiritual lesson or two.
The most obvious lesson for me is that life is inherently lively. By that I mean that a spark of life left dormant in a cold, unfriendly world, will jump at the slightest chance to grow and bloom and express the power and beauty of it's Creator - if it has any real life at all! So often Christians look around and see only the doom and gloom of a world that is cold and unfriendly to the message of Christ our Lord and growth seems impossible.
Well, what did Jesus say about the subject? In Matthew 16:18b, Jesus says,"I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Now, regardless of whether you interpret Hades to mean Hell, or just death (it can be either), the message is clear. Neither evil, nor death will ever overtake the church that Jesus has built. Oh, there may be times that the church looks sick and dying. There may be times that the harsh climate of the world around it seems to have succeeded in squashing all life from it, but such is an impossibility. With any life and any opportunity, no matter how small, life will explode into a beautiful, powerful blossom of contrast and hope.
Furthermore, what is true of the Church is also true in our individual walks. It may be that your walk has grown cold and the snow of apathy, guilt and sin has buried you so deep in despair that you can't feel the warmth or see the light. Well, don't give up; don't think it's all over. The new life that Christ breathed into you when you gave your life to Him, can be flamed into a warm glow with a simple cry to God.
Finally, a theme that I continually return to: it is only when we have a harsh go of it, that the flowers of a mature faith come into bloom. The Phlox didn't bloom in the easy, breezy, warm days of summer, they bloomed only after the frost, the snow and blow of winter. In the midst of winter, they bloomed. Same goes for us. Our faith grows best when the winter storms blow. God uses the difficulties and struggle of life to make us really alive with the vibrant bloom of Christ-like beauty!
Prayer
Lord, God, thank You for Your constant reminder of overcoming life in the midst of the death. Your life can overcome anything and everything whether it be the hateful attacks of a hostile world, or the helpless cries of a hard heart. Help us see and grasp every opportunity to grow and blossom in Christ. May our lives give off the sweet fragrance of Jesus in the midst of a world caught in a spiritual winter! Amen!
