In this week's study, Stasi talks about spiritual lessons we can derive from nature. This echoes Paul's powerful words: "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 people are without excuse." This made me recall a parable from my own life.
I laugh when I think about my kid's reactions to the onset of Spring. "Pee-ew!" The fragrance of newly planted flowers, is easily overcome by the overwhelming stench of fresh manure! "Why do they use poop to make the flowers grow?!" my kids agonize. It is a funny reality, isn't it? Outside my kitchen window, I have a very small compost heap. Everyday, we fill it up with carrot tops, browned lettuce leaves and other vegetable misfits. I am often too busy to rototill this mess, and it can be a terrible eye sore. As I walked into the house yesterday, I noticed something interesting. A full zucchini plant had grown up in my compost pile!! Right in the middle of all of our discards and seeming rubbish, was a beautiful hardy plant, with thick fanning leaves. Why does the junk in our lives, often seem to nourish the most growth in us?!
As a child of the 80's, I am no stranger to the expression, "Life's a b#@!* and then you die." I was also around when that statement evolved into "Life's a beach. Find your wave!" How can the same thing be perceived in such completely different ways? LOVE. The Bible says that the love God has cultivated in us, enables us to bears all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things. (1Cor13:7)
Not too long ago, hiker Amanda Eller was lost in a Hawiian forest for 17 days. When they found her, she had a broken leg, burns and bruises on her body. But, her spirit was intact. They asked her how she kept going and she replied, "I am no different than anyone else. Everyday we can play victim or choose life."
My prayer for you and I, is that every day we will choose life, by giving our circumstances over to God and believing, through love, that God will bring beauty from unexpected places.