Reflection: ‘Designed for life … and death‘

If I gave you a handful of flowers, even a single bud, we’d communicate in a language of beauty, love, comfort, abundance…

Were I to give you a seed, you’d just wonder why.

We pleasure in blooms, oblivious to the lifecycle that begins with flower, but ends with seedling.

Hold out your palm. See the seed.

Finger and examine. Attend to the detail.

No matter its size, species or life-expectancy (a few days … a few thousand years) it embodies nature’s near perfection: programmed for cell life … and death.

So much meaning, fertility, potential, pattern, order, in such a small package.

Pleasure in the seed!

Christ’s church was birthed from such beginnings.

People, growing into righteous trees, far-flung and forest-full, alluded the prophet Isaiah.

And, curiously, we are both the trees and the foresters.

Generations of lifecycles since, we’re still on our knees cultivating, nurturing and sowing.

Prayer:

Fling generative seeds on your good earth today, Lord, and enable me to notice, nurture and attend to the needs of your garden/your church. As part of your world-wide church, establish me and each of your followers that we might be a lively display of your splendour.