Garden Surprise!

Matthew 13: 44-46
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The columbine had finished blooming. 

The other day, I cut back the columbine, an early spring bloomer, and opened up a spot in the front of my garden. With the spent flowers gone, the pink and white flox shined and flowered to their fullest, but the best surprise, hidden under the other plants, was the sweet little pinkish-red begonia. I had no idea this little guy even existed. He hid under the other plants, yet his blossom pushed forth.

I admit, my heart did a little flip-flop of excitement when I spied the tiny thing. I'd thought about buying some begonias and planting them this year, but never did, so this little one brought me unexpected joy. I hope it grows and continues to bloom this summer.

Like my hidden treasure in the flower bed, the kingdom of heaven is a gift to us. I didn't buy it, but Jesus did. He's the one who buys the field, in the parable, so He can share the treasure with the people who love and believe in Him.

The same with the pearls. Jesus gave everything so that we could be part of the kingdom of heaven. I can't buy my way into salvation or heaven, but Jesus can and did. He traded His life for mine because He loves so much. When I spied the little begonia, I was reminded of Jesus' great love and His gift of eternal life. His gift is free for anyone who wants it.

Seek Jesus and receive His treasure.

Two Plates

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Sometimes on my morning walk God hits me with a thought.

As I admired the orange and red leaves on the trees in our neighborhood, they reminded me of the many people I wanted to pray for. When I wandered through my mental list of friends and family and sought God's attention, I pictured two ordinary white plates. One empty and one full. The full one was piled with slips of paper where I'd scribbled the needs of the folks I wanted to pray for. Some had more writing than others. The empty plate showed me I had taken the needs before the Father.

But, here's what sometimes happens. I say "Yes, I'll pray for you." Then I mentally place the prayer request on the serving dish to offer up to Jesus later. Then I forget about the plate and it piles up. Some might even fall off. That's a fail for me.

On my walk, God reminded me to empty my plate. Kind of like when a you're kid and your parents tell you to clean your plate. In James, we're told as Christians to pray for one another. Prayers for our friends, family, or enemy will be heard by God. Our prayers are fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I don't know about you, but I want my prayer plate to be empty. I desire a prayer life that pours the needs of people out to the heavenly Father. He wants to hear our simple and humble words. Seek him and speak from the heart. He's all ears.