“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end”
The previous owner of our home was quite a gardener. She had this lovely flower bed, full of perennials. One of the types of flowers she had planted in this bed was a poppy flower. I found so much joy out of these flowers.
I don’t know much about poppy flowers, but mine seemed to have a short blooming life. Sometime in the beginning of spring this long stem would sprout, then an odd shaped pod would appear, (the first year I probably pulled them thinking they were weeds). They stay in this odd pod shape for what feels like forever, then just like that a beautiful, joyful flower appears.
In my garden the poppy’s never seemed to bloom at the same time, so each morning as I enjoyed the morning view from my kitchen window, I would get a surprise about which one bloomed. The flower only sprouted for a short period of time, which felt like 3 days max then was gone.
Each year the same thing happened again and again. Last year though we had made some outside changes and we had to dig up the flower garden. This was the first year without the blooming poppy flowers.
I am grateful for my time with the flowers though, it makes me think about God's timing and how He tends to our needs just as He tends to the needs of the flowers.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
Just like the timing of when the poppy flower blooms, He predicts when you bloom. He keeps you in His pod, rooted in Him, if you allow it. And just like when the flower fades He is still tending to the flower, just as He tends to us as we fade from Him.
Just as He knows the needs of the flowers to return each year, He knows your needs, He knows how to care for you and help you grow to serve His purpose. Just like roots of the flowers need the dirt, you need that time with your roots planted in Him.
How long do you need to be rooted in Him before you pop? How will you pop? Will you pop at the same time as the others around you, or will you be a lone poppy that pops in your own time?
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 NIV
If He invests that much care into the poppy flower, something only bringing joy for several days, just think about what care He is putting into you.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV
Will you surrender to His timing? Will you allow Him to work towards the beauty He has planned for your life, for His kingdom?
Even if you feel that you have dug up the roots and you, like my poppy flowers, can never return, God's love is constant and you can always run to Him. You can always replant your roots in His words. He will care for your needs, if you let Him.
All He wants is your heart. He will tend to it, if you give it to Him. Will you give Him your heart today, either for the first time or millionth time? Will you stay rooted in His word even when your stem is still below the surface?
