The Gifts of Light, Hope and Peace

At the edge of our driveway, there sits a beautiful bush. In late spring and early summer, it is a large green bush with beautiful leaves. The swaying leaves always capture my attention when I come and go, even on the busiest days. However, what captures my attention the most is the sight of this bush mid-February of every year. For it is at this time the bush has no greenery. In fact, at first glance, every branch is bare - a collection of perfectly assembled sticks. It is the second glance which always overwhelms me and provides a longer pause every time. Among the sticks and bareness of the bush are the most gorgeous purple flowers I have ever seen. They are made even more gorgeous by their bare surroundings. At a time, in a season when few things have started to bloom, these purple flowers blossom. They grow. In many ways, they remind me of God's faithfulness in the valley. When all we may see are roadblocks, despair and a collection of sticks, God places in our path something else. He lays before us glimpses of light, hope and peace. A purple flower blossoms when we least expect it. In this season of your life, I pray you will wait and watch expectantly for a purple blossom or two. The blossom is a beautiful reminder that God is near. Amen.