Working in a funeral home for over 11 years now, one of the parts of the business I see often and know a little about comes through dealings with the florists. Now, don’t ask me the names of all the types of plants and flowers that come through, because I’ll highly disappoint you. Still, I do know a few, and one type I see often is a peace lily.
They are popular for many reasons, but one of which is how easy they are to care for. I’ve heard of people who keep them alive and potted in the same place I sat them down after services handled years ago. Give them a little water as needed, and they make it over time. I’ve often heard the remark that you can’t kill a peace lily, so often, those who are terrible at keeping a plant alive are given them. Just a little will keep them going.
That’s all well and good if the plant over time is being watered properly, but I’ve returned to houses after some time where I can quickly see that their peace lily is more than highly parched. It sits in the corner, with leaves drying on the edges and a droop in most directions. It has a need that isn’t being met; it’s obvious to me and any who would see it. Even in their terrible state, if they get a little light and water, they will perk back up and be as they should be.
I think about those dehydrated plants and how they remind me of many who deprive themselves of the Word. Of course, baptism evokes water in Scripture, but that’s not the only thing water is tied to.
John 4:13-14 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Jesus is like water to our souls in need. He provides of Himself, and when we have Him in our lives, He makes such a mark that others sense Him alive and at work, almost bubbling beneath the surface of all we say and do.
How do we experience Jesus and refresh ourselves and others? It’s like that parched plant; the water must be allowed to soak into who we are. We must actively come under the Word. We must come into the presence of Jesus in focused prayer and study, and He will “hydrate” us back to a healthy state, spiritually. We may have “parched ourselves” in spiritual neglect, but Christ can reinvigorate us. We should never be focused on getting just enough Word to get by, but something is better than nothing. Even if all you can consume in a day is just a partial amount of what you know you should, don’t foresake that time spent taking it in. The Word is beneficial to us, so take it how you can get it, verses or chapters at a time.
Would you consider yourself needing some water from the Word? I intentionally kept the Scripture references down to two verses here; I could have “poured out” a ton of living water here from God’s Word, but may this short devotional thought start you off on seeking more. If you sense your “leaves” are browning from too much time away from God’s Word, reset your focus on Jesus; he can reinvigorate your spiritual life today if you’ll seek Him in His Word.
colbybryant.com 