Post submitted by Gretchen Miller

A friend of mine gave me some Gerbera Daisies last week because she was going on vacation and knew if she left them at home with her son the flowers would probably die. And after the first day I was thinking my friend was probably better off to have left the poor flowers with her son since I came out and saw that one of the once beautiful yellow daisies was now all hunched over and wilted. I quickly ran to get it some water hoping to somehow salvage its life but not holding out much hope for that to happen (I am learning to be a good vegetable gardener, but flowers and I don’t really get along that well). To my surprise, as I came back outside later, there was the little Gerbera Daisy standing as tall and beautiful as it had ever been. I guess it just needed some water. Everyday, this little daisy does the same thing. When I first see it, it looks so pathetic, like it is willing itself to hold on to life for one more moment. And then I give it some water and it perks back up to share its beauty with my backyard world.

God used my little daisy friend to remind me we are not here on planet earth to be all hunched over and wilted. God did not intend for us to look pathetic and be barely holding on all the time. He planted us here to thrive and grow and share His beauty with the world. And like the daisy, there are times when our souls just needs some water. We need the nourishment that the presence of God brings. Thankfully for us, we aren’t daisies and we don’t have to wait on a novice gardener to bring us some refreshment. We have access to the Father through the gift of the Son and we have the Spirit of God inside of us. We only need to let the root of our souls soak in the richness of Him so we can perk up and shine for His glory.

“Those who are far from you will perish; 
You destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; 
I will tell of all your deeds.”
Psalm 73:28