Seek the Sacred Amidst the Ordinary

It’s a glorious morning, and our yard is filled with all sorts of bulbs beginning to bloom. Yet I was drawn to my orchid in the garden window, with a single blossom beginning to unfold. I love how you can glimpse the intricate detail of the petals, barely open to view. Just yesterday this bloom was tightly closed. It seems we are offered a living history of creation, simply by scanning the blooms along a single branch. I love this orchid, but waiting for the blooms to open is an exercise in patience. There are times when a branch may appear barren, doomed to never bloom again. Then one morning we will awaken to discover tiny nodes, almost invisible to the eye. These nodes slowly grow into what looks like a dark nut, solid and hard. In time, the outline of a flower appears, slowly turning green. Then one morning, we are greeted by an emerging bloom. Trust me, it’s worth the wait. The colors are vibrant and deeply dramatic. Best of all, the blooms last and last, at times seeming to defy gravity. God’s promises are a lot like an orchid’s blooms. There can be days when we are uncertain what the future may hold, when we despair that God is even there. We may allow setbacks to drain us of hope, allow facts to deflate our faith, allow earthly concerns to draw our attention away from the divine. Little by little, we can box ourselves in, slowly losing the path that has been prepared for us. Yet we must remember God’s promises unfold in God’s time, not ours. Take time today to ponder reminders of God’s promises. Pause to look at the beginnings of new life, emerging all around you. Consider part of your life you thought was barren, trusting the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into dried bones. Know that God is always faithful, even when we are far from faithful. And remember to be patient, as the reward is always worth the wait, seeming to defy gravity and lasting longer than we can ever imagine. Photo by Connie Chintall