2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV)
One of my housecleaning clients gave me a potted plant that should have been
planted outside. This was very nice of her, and I appreciated it. However, the
timing was poor. The next day, I took the plant with me when going up to our
cottage to open up for the season. It sat outside, and I watered it once. As we
left to come home, I asked my husband to bring the plant back home with us.
When we were on board the ferry, I asked him, "Did you bring the plant?"
"Oh, I accidentally left it behind on the pathway to the car."
I hoped it would be okay, since it was left under trees. We came back to the
cottage three weeks later. The poor thing had actually survived! I then put it
down where I could pay attention to it. It got a little bit too much attention,
though, because the dog's tail knocked it over several times, people kicked it,
and most of the soil fell out of the pot. I didn't have more soil, so I just
left it and hoped that it would survive. It didn't look too healthy, and I
really didn't think it would live.
One day, my mother, who loves plants, picked it up and lovingly put more soil
from her geranium planter into the pot. She plucked off the dead leaves and gave
it some love, whereas I had given it up for whatever would happen to it. After
our vacation, I took it home with me. My sister came over for dinner several
days later and said, "Look, it's blooming!" I hadn't even noticed.
Our lives can be like that poor flower. We are tossed about, kicked, and abused,
and sometimes, those who should love us don't. We are dry and thirsty for a long
time. Then, through a miracle, God steps into our lives, like the fresh soil
into the pot. Living water is poured upon us, and He becomes real to us. He
loves us, He takes all the dead leaves off, and before we know it, we are a new
creation in Him. We are blooming. What a wonderful God we have!
Prayer: Our gracious heavenly Father, thank You for being there for us. Thank
You that You love us even when others don't. You are a wonderful God, a God of
grace, mercy, and love. You have made us a new creation, Lord. Thank You for
that miracle in our lives. We praise You, God, and bless Your holy name! Amen.
Karen Knuff karen-knuff@telus.net
Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca
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