Email Michelle

While going through a difficult time in my life, a dear woman brought
to me a rose and said "Just let it sit there and minister to you." The
only guidance given was that God had shown her that my body was the rose
and the baby's breath was the "spider web" of trial in my life. As I
allowed the rose to minister to me, God gave me several thoughts and
promises that I would like to share.

The first consideration was that of life. The challenge in my life was
a possibly life- threatening disease, so life was very important to me.
As a teacher, I had always told children that plants need three things
to live: water, sunlight, and air. God showed to me that I am much the
same. This rose needed water, not just any water, but living water,
God, to live. The sun that I reach to is the Son who warms me and provides
me with light. The air which supplies my every immediate need is the
Holy Spirit: invisible, completely surrounding, and never fleeing. Plants
get their basic needs met through these three entities, but also tend
to need a certain amount of nourishment in the form of vitamins, Miracle
Grow, or some other substance. I require my nourishment as well and try
to feed myself regularly on God's word which He has provided for that
purpose.

When considering how each of these life requirements affect a rose, I
noticed that they also affect me in the same way! Without the water, I
shrivel up, withdraw from existence. So also is it with our Lord who
fills us with the living water of His love. I am sure you have seen the
ways in which plants will grow at awkward angles and lean any which way
to reach toward the precious sunlight which they need. I wish that I was
so dedicated that I would have the instinct to lean on and grow toward
the Son that warms me. How natural it is for a rose, but so difficult
for me. That serves as a constant reminder for me to lean on my Savior
and to grow constantly closer to Him. As a take a deep breath and enjoy
the sweet fragrance of the beautiful rose, I also enjoy knowing that
the sweet fragrance in my life is that of the Holy Spirit which surrounds
me and sustains me. Although I cannot reach out and touch the spirit,
nor can I see it, like the air, I know that It is there.

God was not through showing me the story and miracle of this rose. He
then led me to ponder each aspect of the rose. I realized that the rose
has "blood," reproductive organs, minimal and optimal needs,
experiences traumatic circumstances, and lives only for a time. How like me that
delicate flower is! The petals grow and stretch as the plant matures.
When their needs aren't met or they are hurt by their environment, they
shrink away, sometimes even fall. Just as I grow, stretch, and fall.
The leaves of the plant reach out away from itself and supplement the
flower by touching other things.

Do I allow my own leaves to reach away,
reach out to others? The leaves also show openly the system of veins
which carry the delicate fluid of life. As a human for God, I also show
openly that vulnerability which may be attacked or nourished by my
environment. The rose has thorns which protect it. And each moment of my
life, I have the armor of God which protects me from anything which comes
my way. The thorns also serve to remind me of the pain which He
experienced for me by wearing a crown of thorns as He died for my sins. The
flower also has a small set of green leaves under its base which were the
protective coat it wore until it was ready to blossom. The coat did not
drop away from it when it matured, but now supports it in the
background. So are the experiences of our lives before Christ. We wore a
coat of "protection" that struggled to hide us from the world. But when
we accept Christ and are ready to blossom, the coat falls away. As the
leaves do not leave the rose, so they don't leave us. Rather, they
become a part of our background, for us to learn from and grow from. They
never leave us, but are not the objects of view or adoration.

I felt surely God had told me all there was of roses and I was
convinced of my role as a rose and confident in the lessons I had learned. Then
He graced me and showed me more:

The edges of some of the petals on this rose were just ever so slightly
black. A sign of pain, trauma . . . the rose does not live in isolation
and complete peace. But the beauty of the rose far outweighs those
small scars that we all bear. Grace allows the flower to continue to bloom
and become a beautiful prize. God's grace covers our scars also.

The rose stands in a vase. We also stand in a vase: the world. As God
hides the roots in the vase, so we hide Him in our heart. God is always
there, always supporting and uplifting us. Though the vase may shatter,
the essence of the rose is unchanged. Although the earth may shatter
around us, the essence of God within us does not change.

Rosebuds each year are threatened by cold, harsh winter. During this
trial, they may weaken, but each spring, the warmth of the Son revives
them and the Spirit breathes fresh air to revive them. The rose is well
nourished by the Living Water and is sweet to smell. How sweet must our
spirit by to the nostrils of our Lord. What fragrance could please Him
more?

You see, you and I are each a delicate rose. So fragile, so precious.
The thing which keeps us alive, nourishes us, protects us . . . the very
life giving and sustaining power: Our Lord. There is nothing in our
lives which He does not touch and guide. Through any trial, I can stand
strong in His living water which will help me blossom and grow. Have you
considered how this Living Water and all His love works in your life?

Copyright 2002 by Michelle Blackmon