A Bouquet from Heaven

I want to share something that happened to me on Saturday. We had our Flowers and Fellowship event at the store this past weekend. At the event people spent time with the Lord in fellowship making floral bouquets with Scripture gift tags to give to others.

At the end of the event, there were flowers left over so I got to make one myself. I wasn’t planning on it because I wasn't sure if there were going to be enough flowers for everyone. As I looked over the beautiful display of colorful stems, I joyfully gathered each piece, wrapped the bouquet in kraft paper and set it on the counter. I then texted my son to see if he wanted it to give it to his girlfriend. We finished cleaning up and when finished, I checked my phone to see if he responded. He hadn't, so I left the store and decided I would go and pick up something for dinner before heading home.

As I was driving I started looking for someone to give the flowers to, someone that needed a bouquet to bless her day.

When I got to the restaurant, I was sitting in my car trying to think of a verse or passage in Scripture to write on the tag, and as I was sitting there, the words “She is clothed in…” came to mind. I recognized it but couldn't remember the verse, so I looked on my phone to find the Scripture and it was Proverbs 31:25. “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” I thought oh this is perfect to give to someone. So I wrote the Scripture on the tag and then wrote on the back of it “Jesus loves you.”

As I got to the restaurant I scoured the parking lot looking for someone to give the flowers to, but I couldn’t find anyone. Then, I saw a woman standing by Chipotle and decided to drive over to give them to her, but as I pulled up she got into a car and they drove away. So I went back to the restaurant and proceeded to go through the drive-through. As I was approaching the window I thought if a woman helps me I’m going to give this bouquet to her. But when I pulled up, it was a man. He handed me my meal and as I drove away I looked again in the parking lot and saw no one that I could give the flowers to.

At this point, I decided to head home and as I was driving home I thought "OK Lord I guess you want me to take these flowers home". Then I heard a still small voice in my heart say “They are for you”. I burst into tears! I couldn’t believe it, but then again I could - because that is how the Lord is.

I had been wrestling with selfishness all week. I had been totally self focused in my thoughts and behaviors toward others. I was feeling guilty about the way that I had been thinking and acting especially given the way the Lord had blessed me that day with all the beautiful people that we got to meet at the event and the sweet opportunity to make flowers for others. I thought "How can you love me when I behave the way I do?!" But that’s what He does! He loves us as we are - messy, imperfect, and downright brutish at times and that is what makes His love so perfect and so needed in this broken and hurting world.

I was dumbfounded, broken, comforted, and elated all at the same time. He reminded me that I don't have to be perfect and that He loves me in my mess, my brokenness and in my failures. That's our precious Savior Jesus Christ. His love is purely unconditional and absolutely faithful regardless of ours.

If you don’t know Jesus, this is what it’s like to know Him. He is the greatest love you will ever know. He will pick you up in your broken mess, dust you off, tell you how much He loves you and heal all your wounds. That’s what it is like to be a follower of Jesus Christ. And all you need to do to receive Him and His perfect love is to repent, turn away from the life you have been living and accept Him as your Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:9 "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Chris