Devotional and Encouraging
Thoughts
Sonflowers
Last summer, I was in my back yard. I noticed the sunflowers I had planted were in different amounts of sun light. The sunflower in the greatest amount of sun was about six feet tall and very beautiful. The sunflower in the next amount of sun exposure was about four feet tall and not as well developed. The third sunflower was two feet tall and had a very small face. Our Lord showed me this is how we are as his children. Our growth is in direct relation to our exposure to His Son.
This year I was in my yard again observing my sunflowers and remembering what the Lord had taught me last year. I planted the flowers the same way as the summer before. I noticed the fully mature sunflower in the full sun.
The new [lesson] the Lord gave me is precious to me. When the sunflower is fully mature, the face of the flower is totally bowed down toward the ground. I also observed the birds eating the fruit from the fully mature sunflower. The smaller flowers had very little fruit and could not withstand the weight of a bird to give its fruit. The Lord showed me that as we are fully mature in the Son of God we bow in worship, humility and submission. At that time we are full of His fruit to be given to those God sends our way. The sunflower was not working but resting in the sun as the birds came to receive of the fully mature fruit.
We are His SONFLOWERS. May each of us rest fully in Jesus as he produces the fruit of righteousness in us to be given to those He sends our way.
A Sonflower,
Linda W.
-----------
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
An anonymous testimony from a sister in Christ.
I must confess to you, I have had a terrible struggle the last few months. But I got right with the Lord a few weeks ago. It feels so good to have all that weight lifted from my shoulders. I sometimes feel like I get so weighted down that I can't get right, I know that is wrong, but I get sometimes to the point that I get behind in praying or reading my Bible and I can't catch up. I know your thinking What? But in my mind if I miss a day then I am behind in my fellowship with the Lord and then I will miss more and more and then I am to the point that I can't catch up, but a few weeks ago I just gave it all to the Lord and got right with him. I even got right recently with some people at our church. That is a hard thing to do if you harbor bad feelings towards them. ( I know it is Sin) But Praise the Lord for waiting for me patiently. I also praise him for seeing value in me when I had none. It is so wonderful that the Lord would save me. I was reading in Proverbs tonight (mainly because so many of my sins are dealt with in there) and I read a verse that I have read many times before but the Lord brought to my heart.
It is Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
I know the Lord gave that to me tonight so I can remain in his will. Sometimes I get like Elijah in thinking " Lord I am the only one who does this or that." He brings me to that realization that I have so many things to work on that I don't need to look at others but my own sinful self. I just wanted to share that with you. I don't like to admit when I am stumbling or just plain wrong. I am just praising him for his mercy towards me. I am just thankful that he forgave me and forgets my sins.
Praise the Lord.
--------------------------
Truly a message that we all can take to heart. Thank you for sharing this with us, sister!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
graphics
by Mary E. Stephens
updated 2020