It’s the light in the sunflowers that creates such a beautiful array of shades of yellow.
• I’ve always been fascinated with the beauty of sunflowers. So many things about them connect me to God, the Creator of all living. I am reminded of His Light when I see the transparency of the petals allowing it to penetrate. These flowers lift their faces up to the sun to the source of light needed to sustain them. In fact, they are facing east every morning, tracking the sun through the day and at night return to face the east to begin their journey once again. By facing the sun early in the day, they warm up quickly. Bees and pollinators prefer warm flowers so by facing the sun early, the flowers attract more, sharing what they have received. They turn to face the sun – I do the same.
• Then something unthinkable, incomprehensible and horrific happens and I see the darkness of this life block the sun.
• A horrible accident occurred on the overpass at our home exit on the interstate. Multiple lives ended in those moments. An semi carrying avocados exploded on impact, filling the sky with black smoke visible for many miles.
• And I think of the families whose family photos will forever have an empty spot marked by this event. I think of the witnesses and I think of the first responders.
• and I remember what I have learned through the tragedies in my life – God is very near. He is very present and He waits for us to bring all our fear and sadness to Him. I believe because of the depth of His love for us that He grieves with us.
• I can’t quit thinking about everyone involved and I can’t quit praying for comfort to come, descending from heaven like a swaddling blanket calming their hurt and grief, stilling the chaos.
• and in our very dark moments when the sun isn’t visible, we can walk this life knowing the Light of Jesus, God our Father and the Holy Spirit are so very near again providing everything we need. We don’t carry a doubt or a fear They do not see.
• and no amount of darkness can convince me otherwise.
• and I pray today as the finite status of our lives is brought front and center, as the sunflowers fade, that each of us lifts our hands, our words, our prayers, grief and pain, up to God. Our lives are but a brief moment in time. We can live looking up to what comes next or we can allow the darkness of this world to turn our gaze from Him and lose all hope.
• so I do what I know to do – I, like the sunflowers, lift my face to the heavens and tears flow. Winding their way through the maze of horror, into the shadows of grief for all involved, on to seeking God’s presence in this time and place and lifting my words in prayer to a mighty, holy God who cares, tears falling from my chin, knowing He catches every one.
• Less than 24 hours after the accident, I passed under the overpass. From beneath there were no visible signs of what had happened. Or so I thought. As the light changed to green, something caught my eye on the side of the road. There scattered about were several avocados.
• and, again, I lifted my face and prayed for all involved.
• soaking up the warmth of God’s love for me, I, like the sunflowers, provides opportunities for me to share that warmth with the world around me.
Isaiah 55:6-9English Standard Version (ESV)
6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
