The Gardener

Do you think God works hard
to help a flower bloom?

Think about it…

A flower seed needs
water—rain from clouds ten thousand feet tall,
sunshine—infinite explosions from a fiery ball,
and soil—for roots to grow deep so the plant doesn’t fall.

All this and more
God brings together
to help a flower grow.

It isn’t always lovely.
Dirt… is dirty.
Rain… is wet, cold, and gray.
Even the glorious Sun
can burn the unwary.

It gets worse!

Mother Nature sure has her “bad days.”
Tornadoes. Thunderstorms.
Blizzards. Avalanches.
Floods. Famine!

Hmmm, where is God then?

He’s busy in the Garden!
You see, the more beauty
found within God’s creation,
the more challenging it can be
to set that beauty free.

It takes many earthquakes,
and huge volcanic eruptions,
to craft one majestic mountain.

Is our soul different?
Are each of us not the raw materials
from which God can craft
men and women of greatness?
And how are we to judge what it will take
to set our spirits free?

You see, I prefer…
rainbows without the rain,
snow without the cold,
roses without the thorns,
and honey without the bees.

Oh, and while we’re at it, give me
laughter without tears,
friends without enemies,
and love without pain.

But He won’t,
and I Trust that He is a better Gardener
of flowers and of souls,
than I.