Once again the green turned to red, bringing beauty to another Christmas.
With my lack of gardening skills, it felt like nothing less than a miracle. For two years in a row this seemingly fragile plant had bloomed during Advent in a sweet celebration of Jesus’ birth.
It had been touch and go as winter turned to spring and the red blooms gradually slipped away. When the remaining leaves turned brown on the edges, I thought the culprit was too much sunlight and moved her to another window. Then one by one the leaves turned yellow and began to die. I couldn’t decide whether I was watering too frequently or not enough. I began to think I should just put her out of her misery, but I just couldn’t do it. A tiny spark of hope persisted. So I moved her again. This time to the window in our guest room.
The earth slowly made its journey around the sun -the days growing shorter and darker. I left her alone in the empty, unlit guest room sometimes staying away for days. So when I went into the guest room and saw red mingled with the new growth I could hardly believe it.
In spite of, or perhaps because of, the months of suffering and long nights hidden away in the darkness, she bloomed - a lovely picture of the good God promises to birth out of our struggles and sorrows. We wait, not without hope but with confident expectation in the One who loves us. The One who came and gave His very life for us.
Our hearts overflow with gratitude at His coming and with confident hope in His promise to come again.
Have a joyous Christmas dear friends.
