What the flower said

"Show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

(1 Pt 2:9)

At one time my home was in a semi-rural area, several miles out from the city church where I ministered. When the weather permitted, I used to enjoy the long walk in, on a Sunday morning to the church service. One Sunday morning, as I walked by a field, soon after starting, I heard a pleasant little voice say, "Good morning, sir," but on looking round I could see no one anywhere. Thinking myself mistaken, I was about to resume my walk when out piped the little voice again, so I said, "I cannot see you. Who are you?" To my utter surprise the sweet little voice replied, 'Why, of course you can see me, sir. I'm the little flower nearest the pathway." I could scarce believe it - a flower talking! "Well, well!" I exclaimed. "I never knew flowers could talk"; to which the pretty bloom replied again, "Nor did I until this morning; but, you see, God told me to speak to you." This was really too much for me. "What!" I gasped. "God told you to speak to me?" "Yes, He told me to tell you to preach this morning on 1 Pt2:9: "Show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."

By this time I was spellbound; so after nodding gracefully in the morning breeze, and giving a grateful smile to the morning sun, the demure little pinky-white flower continued, "You see, sir, I was not always a pretty flower like this. I used to be an ugly brown seed, and it seemed as though nothing beautiful or worthwhile could ever come of ugly little me. What was worse, I was in utter darkness, under the soil, though I did not know then that its name was darkness. All I knew was that I was down there, an ugly little seed, and could not see, and seemed to be dying without ever discovering why I was there at all.

I don't know just how long I was there, but I began to feel a strange influence pulling me up-wards. There was a power working in me which I could not explain. I felt that somehow there must be something above me to which I must reach up. Then, one morning when the sun had been shining for some time after rain-showers, I felt a wonderful power lift me right up; and suddenly I found myself in the light of a wonderful new world up here!

After that I grew into the lovely flower at which you are looking; and now I gratefully bloom just for one thing - to "show forth the praises of Him who called me out of darkness into His marvellous light." I was just going to ask the dear little flower a question when it added, "And now sir, I am not allowed to speak any more; I can only show forth His praises by what I am. Good-bye, sir. Don't be late for church." Then all was silent again. But I have never forgotten that morning walk; and some of my people said they would never forget my sermon on 1 Pt 2:9.

Dear God, help us to learn from the flowers, that there is nothing higher or lovelier than to"show forth" Thy virtues who hast called to us "out of darkness" into thy "marvellous light."

- J. Sidlow Baxter from his devotional studies "Awake My Heart"