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The Forward Day by Day Meditation for March 12, 2021

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FRIDAY, March 12 Gregory the Great

Psalm 92:11-12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

This passage speaks to me in its description of plants that flourish when given the best conditions. In fact, it sounds a lot like bonsai. This Asian art form of gardening takes trees from the rugged outdoors into optimum conditions to grow, year after year (some, even for hundreds of years). Bonsai artists often comb through many different trees to find the “perfect” one. I use quotation marks because this does not mean that it is already ideal, but rather the artist sees the shape the tree will take on in the future, after years of fine-tuned training.

Still, bonsai artists are notorious for turning away trees with perceived defects—a branch is too thick, the taper goes backward, the root spread is uneven, the trunk is too straight. Thankfully, God as gardener does not turn away from a single person, despite flaws. God knows every detail about our lives, including our gifts and where we are going, and God works with us, giving us what we need to flourish.

MOVING FORWARD: Next time you shop, pick out a misshapen pear or lopsided watermelon and give thanks to God for the bounty.

PRAY for the Diocese of North West Australia

Ps 95 and 88 * 91, 92 | Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-20 | Romans 6:1-11 | John 8:33-47