Backyard flora and fauna might seem an odd choice to feature during this unsettling time surrounding Covid19, but they have a lesson for me which I thought might be helpful to share: Our Lord encourages His people not to give in to fear and worry many times throughout scripture. And He points to simple things in creation as illustrations against it. To paraphrase, the flowers and birds do not grow anxious because they know the Lord cares for them.
All creation screams with jubilation the power, glory, and majesty of our King. Every blade of grass, every feather of a bird’s wings, every droplet of rain and ray of sunshine has the beautiful purpose of pointing back to their Almighty Creator. Go outside. Look. Listen.
They shout their hopeful message with every fiber of their beings:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13
“See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28b-29
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4
My encouragement is simply this: Amid this apparent chaos, all creation moves steadily to the hymn-like rhythms of God’s grace and power. The flowers are unafraid!
Grace and peace, friends!
-A.A.W.
Selah Vie! 