A Beautiful Bouquet (by Cathe Laurie)
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14 ESV).
I love flowers. LOVE flowers. Every part of them—growing them, picking them, and admiring them.
A beautiful bouquet of flowers. Just picture it! Every color imaginable, blooms of every shape and size. Lilies, roses, hydrangeas . . . a work of art to light up any space or day.
Each flower adds a special element to the arrangement, whether it’s a pop of color or texture or a heavenly scent that fills up your whole room. When they’re all put together, it’s a masterpiece!
And then, staring at those gorgeous blooms, I am left in awe, reminding myself: Our God created each and every one of those flowers. From nothing, He made the diverse, intricate, awe-inspiring ecosystem and beauty of nature.
If you’ve ever walked through a large, crafted garden (or even a beautifully wild one), you know that feeling of awe. With flowers blooming in every season, a garden is an array of life, a glimpse into what I can only imagine the masterpiece of Heaven will look like.
How God Crafted You
Now, remember . . . the God who created all of those unique, gorgeous flowers also created you, with even more detail and care.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13 ESV).
Imagine God, crafting you with the same delicacy as He did those precious petals of each flower. Every detail of who you are, knit together by His hands into the masterpiece you are.
You are a unique flower in the garden of life! He created you with intention and purpose, and He’s already written exactly when and how you will bloom, in each season.
Embracing Our Differences
Sometimes, it may feel like we’re too different. Or maybe we feel forgotten as we watch our friends bloom, and we feel left behind.
Your life (and you!) looks different from others because it’s supposed to! I mean, how boring would a garden be if only one type of flower grew and bloomed at exactly the same time? You were created to shine in different ways in each season, and that is beautiful.
Delight in God
With the Master Gardener, you’re in the best hands. Trust Him. Lean into Him. Spend more time with Him—more and more every day. Read through Psalm 139, and let the words soak into your heart and mind. You are gorgeous, inside and out, and you were made with a purpose! The world needs you in its beautiful bouquet.
I encourage you to go get a giant bouquet of flowers today. Put it on your kitchen table or somewhere you’ll see it as often as possible. If you can’t get a bouquet, go take a walk outside, in nature. Smell the fresh air. See how many different plants you can find. Dig your hands in the dirt and feel the life within it.
God made it all, and He made you, too. Delight in His purpose and intention!
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14 ESV).
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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.
