Praycation - DAY TWENTY-FIVE

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount to consider the lilies of the fields. The lily could have been the scarlet anemone whose lavishness was compared to the robes of Solomon. The lily could have been a generic term for the flowers growing abundantly in the fields. They do not spin or toil but are glorious.

The Bible mentions lilies 15 times with 8 of them occurring in the Song of Solomon. These verses indicate that the lily grows in the fields, the valleys, in gardens and among the thorns. Wherever they are planted, they grow.

When we are considering the lily, consider this: They grow in places where there is a lack of resources for optimal survival. The lily stretches its root system deep into places that is cultivated for her to flourish as well as into places where good soil is hard to find. The lily grows abundantly in broad places with plenty of sunshine to enhance its growth and beauty. It also grows in the shadowy places of a valley where fauna, flora and hillside may block the sun. Yet, the lily grows.

What about you, child of God? We may find ourselves planted in places that do not provide the right amount of nourishment or support. We may find ourselves just like the lily down in the valley of despair, depression, disappointment, disillusion, desperation, and devastation. We may be planted in places that have been cultivated to enhance our gifts and skills. We may also find ourselves in places that hinder our growth because of a lack of resources. Our roots struggle to find what it needs to grow or we are in a place that does not appreciate our beauty – beauty of head, heart and mind. Yet, just like the Lily, we can grow.

Consider the Lily today in prayer no matter where you are planted – in the broad spaces of community and congregational life, in cultivated manicured emotional, socio-economic and physical landscapes or buried in valleys unprotected by policy, praxis or legislation – you can still grow!

Repeat after me: It doesn’t matter where I am now; God is able to prosper me to grow and flourish.

“Consider the Lily of he field, and how they grow;”
Matthew 6:28

Let us pray:
Lord, help me to bloom where I'm planted! In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

It’s Saturday! ‘nuf said!
Someone needs to read this message today. Send it to them now. Post this message in your social network system on Facebook, Twitter or Digg. Be sure to share your prayer experiences in the comment section.

Enjoy the day. Be sure to be prayed-up and praised-up before going to worship tomorrow.

Blessings,
VMM