“The Fabulous Fading”

           Scripture likens human life to a beautiful flower, which eventually withers and fades (James 1:10-11). It demonstrates how a little of the Creator’s majesty is transposed upon human life – the beauty of a smile, the emotion of sorrow, the splendor of joy. There is great beauty in the human life; it contains many mysteries and simplicities! Simply put, the life of an individual is like a colorful and glorious flower. We have been given some luster of our own, but we should take care to let our colors and aroma point to the Designer of our subsistence. It is as though life reminds us of how the Artist is known by his works of art, yet also how the Inventor is always greater than his invention. We are “beautifully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14).

            Even with the resilience of our ingrained beauty, however, we are delicate. Over time, we wither and fade. It does not matter if our purpose is to absorb the earth’s nutrients or if it is to reflect the rays of the sun; we are susceptible to the principles of death and decay. In a day, we can wake up in our youth and return to our sleep old and faded. As quickly as we have been planted, we can be plucked out (Job 1:21). Spring, summer, fall, and winter do not need our permission – the seasons of life wait for no one.

            We have taken ownership of the life we have been given – the beauty of our created image (Gen. 1:27). But have we taken ownership of our fading? Have we forgotten that our life is like that of a flower? We have mastered the art of displaying what splendor we have left, but we easily forget about our inevitable, fabulous fading. We should be careful to not to take life for granted – what we have, has been given to us. Also, as a flower is sensitive to its community and biome, we should be aware of those around us. We should unite our purpose with God’s and help others like us – others who are fading.

            We never know when our petals will fall to the ground. It could be left to time or truncated by a sudden and unexpected storm. Either way, we can take comfort in the fact the Creator finds great joy in His creation. Like an artist rejoices over his masterpiece, God rejoices over you!

-          Dusty