Day 3 – March 20, 2020
Matthew 6:25-29 

 Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  26  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  27  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?  28  And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,  29  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.”
Grace, peace and mercy be multiplied to you from God our Father, and the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

I am thankful that the weather is giving us some hints of spring. It is easier to get out the door to walk the dog and get some fresh air. Yesterday, I headed out the door with our golden retriever, Maggie, in tow. We decided to hit the cul-de-sacs in our neighborhood for a change.

As we walked, I noticed the buds on the trees. The lawns are coming to life once again, and the grass is a lovely shade of dark green. There are signs of new life springing forth!

In one yard, there were crocuses coming up. It brought back memories of growing up, and the crocuses being one of the first sure signs of spring. The return of the robins, the yellow blooms of the forsythia. All signs of hope that spring is coming.

Crocuses are blooming.
But what caught my attention in this one yard was the crocuses blooming in the middle of the yard. In the middle of the green grass were hundreds of blooms – white and purple and blue. They were not in neat rows or carefully color-coordinated. Just a scattering.

At first, I thought this to be a problem. That isn’t grass. It doesn’t belong there. It must be treated as a weed and removed, right? Weeds are just plants growing in the wrong place, right? In the words of my father, “We must maintain some semblance of order!” Crocuses belong in flower beds, not in lawns.

But then I asked myself the question, why does it need to be that way? Can the crocuses and the grass share the same space, or should they also maintain social distancing guidelines? And who am I to say?

Consider the lilies. God adorns them with beauty. Consider the birds. God provides for them. Consider the wonders of God. God gives us these signs of life, and all that we need for life.

I looked at the lawn once again, adorned with flowers. And in it, I saw something new. I saw the promise of God. In the midst of the daily order and structure we try to follow, and even in the midst of the new guidelines we are asked to follow, God shows up with signs of hope and surprise where we least expect them.

Where are you seeing these signs of hope?

Do not worry. Easier said than done. I know.
But I also know that God is with us.

Look for the wonders of God. You may see it in places you least expect.

Let us pray:
Almighty God, we give you thanks for the gift of life. We give thanks for your Son, who gives us life. Open our eyes to behold your beauty, your presence, your promise of life. We place our trust in you. We pray this in the name of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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