My Little Bouquet of Flowers from God

One particular flower I have learned to love is the Johnny-Jump-Up. They are those small violas that are purple and yellow that look like little happy faces looking up to the sky, I suppose they could almost be called miniature pansies.

As I was gardening one day and I said to my husband, “Phillip I would like some Johnny-Jump-Up’s for the back yard.” He responded to my request saying, “Evelyn, Johnny-Jump-Up’s won’t grow in our yard they require more sun than our back yard gets.” Our backyard has a lath patio and a large tree that shades our garden. I was disappointed at his response, all I wanted was one little pony pack of Johnny-Jump-Up’s, surely this wasn’t that big of a request, was it?

I decided to try and find some Johnny-Jump-Ups and at least try them in the back yard. So in my quest to find these small but delicate flowers I went to my local nursery. As I was approaching the table where they were displayed I saw a man carrying an entire flat of Johnny Jump Up’s. “Those are my Johnny-Jump-Up’s,” I silently complained to the Lord, “all I want is one little pony pack and that man is getting them all.” I walked over to the table only to find that there was not even one little pony pack of Johnny-Jump-Ups left, that flower snatcher of a man had bought them all.

I quickly began to complain to the Lord that it was not fair, this man had purchased all of them and I ended up with nothing. Time past and I soon forgot about my Johnny-Jump-Up’s. Then one day, about a month later I was mowing my lawn and I saw this tiny little purple dot right smack in front of the lawn mower. I stopped this monster of a machine next to this tiny fragile purple petal on the ground. I walked over and to my amazement, there in the middle of all the crab grass, was growing one little Johnny-Jump-Up pushing itself through the ground. I was shocked at the fact that here in the middle of this jungle of a lawn was a little plant growing.

“Are these little Johnny-Jump-Up flowers for me?” I asked God. “All these tiny beautiful flowers are mine?” There they were gazing high into the sky with their purple and yellow faces beaming towards heaven. They stood straight up giving glory to their creator while God was blessing me. Anyone could have bought a pony pack of flowers at the nursery but to get flowers from God? Wow! So all summer long I mowed around those little Johnny-Jump-Ups and I would go outside with a glass of water and give them a drink. This was my little bouquet of flowers from God.

Many times we may be looking for God's blessings in one way, when they may be coming in an other way. I thought that going to the nursery and purchasing my little pony pack of flowers would satisfy my desire, little did I know that God had a bigger plan. I would have bought my flowers and placed them in the back yard under the shade tree where they soon would have died. Instead, God planned for a sparrow to bring a seed and drop it in the middle of our crab grass. There this little plant would grow under the care of God while it pushed its way past the tough clumps of crab grass.

How many times do we make our own plans when God has another? A small fragile plant like that little Johnny-Jump-Up may seem insignificant to some, but for me they are flowers from God. He knew that if I was to enjoy these small pansy type flowers all summer, they needed sun. So He placed them in our front yard, in a place I could not miss them, surrounded by the crabgrass that I was mowing. One quick turn of the blades from that huge Jaws of Life lawnmower and my little Johnny-Jump-Ups would have been history; I could have swiftly cut down my gift from God.

How many times does God want to bless us and in our preoccupation with life we mow down His gifts, overlook His blessings, while all along He has brought us flowers just to make us smile. I will never see a Johnny-Jump-Up flower in the same way again; to me they are better than the most expensive rose. No other flower measures up to this little favorite of mine, it reminds me of how in the hardness of the crab grass of life we can persevere and shine bright for our Lord as we push past every circumstance.

The Johnny-Jump-Up is not just a simple flower, but it is a reminder of the love of God. When I wanted things my way He showered me with His love. He brought me a bouquet of flowers that I will always remember, for who could ever forget getting flowers from God?

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Jesus Christ who loved us on Calvary has continued to love us and will for all eternity. It is not a love that will last for only one day, but it is a love that will never end. It is a love that is pure and one that cannot be denied. After all who else has given His life for you or I so that we may live forever with Him? Jesus Christ came with the greatest gift of all time, His life. Won’t you embrace Him? He is waiting.

Prayer: Father God, I thank you for the love you gave me by sending your Son Jesus Christ to die for me. I realize that I have not fully experience your love and forgiveness for my life that was given to me by Jesus Christ on the cross. He died for me so that I may live forever. So I ask you to forgive me, and wash my sins away. I now invite Jesus Christ to come into my life and I ask you to help me to walk in a way that is pleasing to you. Thank you for reaching down from heaven and touching me with your love and giving me life forever with you. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, I would love to be in prayer for you about this important decision. Please email me at EvelynSpeaks@aol.com. God bless you.