Several weeks ago a couple came over for dinner (yes, we had invited them; they didn’t just show up) and brought us a potted miniature rose plant. It had some pretty red roses blooming, and was healthy and thriving. Which actually made me feel bad that it was now going to have me for its owner, as I do not generally do well with indoor plants. (Well, outdoor ones, either, but we’ll stick with indoor ones herein.)
However, the sweet beauty of this plant made me that much more determined to not only keep this one alive (like for more than a week), but to have it flourish! So I have done my best to water it with the “right“ amount of water – not really knowing what that is, but trying anyway.
I do remember my plant-whisperer mother-in-love saying something about watering plants when they’re dry. Okay, maybe she didn’t mean “dry for three weeks,” so I touched the surface of the dirt every day, and when it felt dry, I watered it.
Plants seem to enjoy light, as well, but living in the non-sunny (I’m trying not to actually say “cloudy and dreary”) Pacific Northwest, and specifically living in our house that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight anyway because of being in the woods, I had to get a bit creative. I thought it might help to put it in a spot where there was more light – specifically directly beneath an under-cupboard fluorescent light in my kitchen.
As you can see, I put it in a mini red crock pot, (which matches my Mary Engelbreit kitchen,) but it is not turned on, so that had no effect on its growth. That was just the only counter space available below any of the fluorescent lights under my cupboards!
Well, I am thrilled (more than you know!) to announce that my rose plant has thrived in this spot! It not only stayed alive, but it has actually GROWN!!! (I kid you not!) Three times its original size!!!
The original mini roses eventually matured and I picked them off, but that’s normal. The rest of the plant still grew. No more mini roses, but, in faith, I knew they’d eventually come. At least I had a green plant in the meantime.
While working in the kitchen one day, I happened to bend down further than I usually do and noticed something interesting: Two darling little roses right at the top of the plant, the spot that was closest to the light!
I looked through the rest of the plant, and did not see any other rosebuds anywhere else! (I’m pulling them down to get a picture of them, so that’s why they don’t appear to be right at the top by the light. This is a few days after the picture above, which is why they’re bigger.)
Whether or not this is the norm for miniature roses (growing in mini crock pots directly below fluorescent lights in Pacific Northwest kitchens), it wasn’t hard to run with and “interpret” this analogy!
Obviously, the closer we position ourselves to the Light ~ Jesus Himself ~ the more we will blossom and grow in our walk with Him!
There are many good reasons He uses “light” to refer to Himself. Many more than I thought as I discovered when searching for Bible verses about light. I was delighted to find that the Word even get very specific about how, as “the Light of the World,” Jesus: (For your graphic-viewing pleasure, I made scripture-graphics of some of these verses.)
Jesus…
…helps us.
“Many say that God will never help us. Prove them wrong, O Lord, by letting the light of your face shine down upon us.” (Psalm 4:6)
…keeps us from stumbling.
“Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” (John 8:12) “Your words are a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling. (Psalm 119:105)
…gives us life.
“Answer me, O Lord my God; give me light in my darkness, lest I die.” (Psalm 13:3) “He floods the darkness with light, even the dark shadow of death.” (Job 12:22)
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…counsels us.
“Your laws are both my light and my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24)
…gives us wisdom and joy.
“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light.” (Psalm 19:7-8)
…dispells our personal darkness.
…warns us of danger.
“For their [it’s actually referring to parents’ advice, but because many parents are living ungodly lives, I’m using the word “godly” instead] advice is a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to warn you of danger, and…” (Proverbs 6:23)
…gives us a good life.
[For their advice is a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to] give you a good life.” (Proverbs 6:23)
.…leads us.
“Oh, send out your light and your truth—let them lead me. Let them lead me to your Temple on your holy mountain, Zion.” (Psalm 43:3)
…blesses us with good things.
“For Jehovah God is our Light… No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.” (Psalm 84:11)
…protects us.
“For Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.” (Psalm 84:11)
…sheds glorious light on us, healing us, leading us forward.
“If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.” (Isaiah 58:8)
WOW! I knew that what I’d find when I looked up “light” would be good, but to see all these verses ~ and benefits of light ~ in one place is just a deLIGHTful BLAST of BLESSING!!!
Which my darkened-in-some-areas thinking could certainly use! I am on the path of getting my mind renewed, especially as it pertains to food and eating, but I need much more light to illuminate and correct my wrong thinking.
For others, maybe it’s a different addiction ~ shopping, alcohol, drugs, porn, too much of anything, be it TV, computer, games, entertainment, even exercise.
Any of these can be a little-g god in our lives, and, without them being exposed to the healing light of God’s truth, can (and will) keep us in darkness in that area, which will eventually spread to other areas.
Of course, to receive this new thinking, the very mind of Christ, we have to actually draw near to Him, who is the Light!
Which brings me full-circle back to my rosebuds and what they did. They drew near to the light, not because of how smart they were, but because of how attractive light is. By its very nature, light draws living things to it.
But that doesn’t mean all living things ~ including us ~ always make the choice to draw near to the light! It takes time and effort. And denying what our flesh gravitates toward, which feels good for the moment, but is not ultimately good for us. Nor is it what we really want; what our spirit longs for. But it is sooooo worth the time and effort! And what valuable rewards come of it!
There’s one other little detail that did not go unnoticed by me… There are two rosebuds side-by-side! If any of you have an active, growing relationship with an accountability/prayer partner, you will get this right away! As it says in Ecclesiastes:
“…(O)ne standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
It is the Lord ~ that Third Strand of the triple-braided cord ~ who binds us together and strengthens us! I love how He uses other sisters to help strengthen us! I know that, for me, having an accountability partner helps me “walk in the light” ~ which brings me full-circle to the focus of this article…
That nothing but good can come from drawing near to the Light of the World! He IS Light, He is FULL of Light, and He brings light to our darkness ~ whatever it may be.
When we go into a totally dark room, grope around on the wall for the light switch, and flip it on, there is no argument between the darkness and the light. Get that? NO ARGUMENT at all! The light always wins.
This is true in both the natural realm as well as the super-natural.
“Lord, You have turned on my light!
You have made my darkness turn to light.”
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Wow this is great Barb! Such food for the soul. I love how you highLIGHTed God’s faithfulness, awesomeness, and mighty power with this analogy of the rosebuds and the light! Thank you for sharing!!!
A sweet article, Barb! Sadly, I have the same brown thumb that you do! I don’t do well with any plants. My family is fortunate that at least THEY are alive! It’s true that the closer we get to Jesus, the more growth and beauty happens! You will have to transplant that rose eventually and then you will have a whole new article to write with that analogy!
Thanks Barb for such a beautiful and timely post. Full of so much amazing truth! Blessings… 🙂
Barb, this is beautiful! I received a miniature rose bush for Valentine’s Day this year…like I do many years from “my boys” (hubby and my 3 sons—19, 16, and 14) and like you, I usually somehow kill it. For the first time ever, it is now May and it is still growing and alive! And it loves the LIGHT of my kitchen window ledge. I haven’t looked lately for new buds. But I will today! ♥️
Also…a new lesson I taught my my 2nd/3rd graders at church Sunday was “What do we do under the revealing light of God?” Do we harden our hearts against good on the light/heat of the lamp (like mud)? Or do we allow Him to soften us like a piece of hard chocolate under His light??? I desire to be softened, but my actions don’t always say that… 🍫 Lord, soften me today as You shine your light in me…and let me Bloom for You!
I loved this devotion. Currently I am praying about starting Thin Within. So far, I’m enjoying what I am reading. Thank you for your insight!!