But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. 2 Peter 3:18.
Growing up, I dyed and hunted Easter eggs. I always had a new Easter bonnet. My beloved “Velveteen Rabbit” was “real”. And my mother always served ham with our hard boiled eggs.
Our children likewise dyed and hunted eggs. They never wore Easter bonnets. And our daughter, for the longest time, believed that the Easter bunny was brown, not white, because she saw “it” hop across our yard when she, at age three, ran out to get the newspaper that Easter Sunday morning. Likewise, I served ham with boiled eggs on Easter.
However, of all traditions associated with this most holy day of the Christian church, I appreciate a living cross where church members each year adorn a large cross structure with spring flowers from the gardens of all members. It is far more than symbolic.
With this activity, we not only fill an empty cross wrapped in chicken wire with the abundance of new life, but also everyone of every age is invited to participate, merely by adding a flower of his own choosing. And most churches even provide extra blossoms to share with those who do not have a green thumb. Standing in the churchyard in all its glory, the cross of flowers with its blend of sweet fragrances and multicolors announces that life once again has begun anew.
Unfortunately, fresh flowers, once cut, die quickly and within three days, church guardians must remove the now unsightly dead flowers from their place of honor. The cuttings of new life die, but the empty cross always offers eternal hope. We can count on spring. We can count on the cross. We can count on God.
It was just such an observation that led soldier Nicholas Herman to discover God. Editors of Herman’s book writes, “In the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time the leaves would be renewed, and after that the flowers and fruit appear, he received a high view of the providence and power of God, which has never since been effaced from his soul... From that moment on, he grew and waxed strong in the knowledge and love and favor of God, endeavoring constantly to walk in His presence.”
At age 18, Herman left the army and entered a monastery, forever to be called Brother Lawrence who grew in his faith by The Practice of the Presence of God. He would later say, “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament.”
According to Brother Lawrence, for faith to be strong, it must grow by being practiced all day, every day. Acceptance of God’s love is not a one time occasion to be left like a closed family Bible on the coffee table while attending to the great demands of living. Knowing God and going about our daily activities must be so intertwined they cannot be separated one from another.
I have long admired Brother Lawrence’s favorite word, “practice.” to perform or work repeatedly so as to become proficient. It’s an interesting concept. While God gives his love freely, recipients, because we are mere human, must practice repeatedly for a lifetime the acceptance of His great gifts.
Author David Mas Masumoto explains this same concept in farming terms. “Growing things seem natural, a distinctly human act, part of our desire to reflect, build and create. But nurturing seems out of place in our fast -paced, high-tech information age....I often thought that all students and teachers should be required to grow something, to understand the patience required and the long learning curves of development. We all could benefit from planting seeds with patience to see the flowers bloom.”
We can count on spring. We can count on the cross. We can count on God. However, can we count on ourselves to grow in faith daily by patiently practicing His presence in our lives?
2008
Comments