Joy week3

 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?     Matthew 6:28-30

When Jesus wanted to teach His disciples the art of depending on his sufficiency, He invited them to consider the lilies of the field. Here the exquisite fashioning of God fell on the tiniest of plants. Jesus used God's creativity in miniature as evidence that God can be trusted to take care of all of our needs. The same God who overwhelms us with the majesty of the ocean can mystify us with a drop of clear, pure dew shaken from the petals of a rose.

To encounter either the wide grandeur or tiny gem-like creativity of God awakens anthems in our soul. Joy is our response to the creation of God. And it is Christ who awakes us to this wonder. It is the Jesus of the wildflowers who calls us to marvel at the lilies and then to contemplate what God's perfect creation means in terms of our ability to depend on Him.

We may be prone to forget that Jesus was a man of the outdoors. His entire ministry amounted to a three-year camp-out with his disciples. His miracles of calming the storm, walking on the water or feeding the five thousand are all outside miracles.

Because He had such rapport with the elements and all of nature, it is natural that Christ's sermon illustrations include rain, harvest and wildflowers. Today, many of our hymns focus on the relationship between Christ and the elements,

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the

woodlands

Robed in the blooming garb of spring,. . .

Fair is the sunshine,

Fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling starry host;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer. . .

Here's to our ‘Fairest Lord Jesus.’ Here's to the Jesus of the wildflowers. Let us look to the lilies, and be reminded through Christ of God’s unfailing providence.