Luke 12:27

Lilies

Consider the lilies, how they grow Luke 12:27.

In the early spring, before the summer heat has parched and dried up plant life, the land of Palestine is a blaze of color. Everywhere may be seen crocuses, irises, and lilies, also anemones of many colors red, scarlet, purple, blue, and yellow till the ground seems to be covered with a rich carpet of the most brilliant tints. It was on a scene like this that Jesus was looking when He said, “Consider the lilies.” We do not know which particular flower He meant. It may have been a very brilliant scarlet anemone. It may have been the tall, handsome gladiolus, which raises its blue or purple flowers among the corn. It may have been just lilies in general. In any case He had in His mind brilliant flowers which would remind those who looked at them of King Solomon's royal robes.

Why did Jesus wish us to consider the lilies? Because the lilies bring us messages from God.

1. They bring us a message of God's love. They tell us that God cares not merely to make things, but to make them beautiful. They tell us that He loves us so much that He gives us, not just the things that are necessary, but the things that bring us joy.

Do you know the beautiful old legend of how the flowers came to this earth? It tells that when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden it was a garden of flowers. And of all the fair things in the Garden they loved the flowers best. Every day they went out to seek for fresh flowers and every evening they returned with blossoms of some new form, or shade, or perfume.

One day Adam and Eve fell by their sin, and they were put out of the Garden and an angel was set to guard the gate. And of all the fair things in the Garden, they missed the flowers most; for as yet there were no flowers on the earth.

Then God had compassion on the man and woman and on the countless generations that were to come after them. And He said, “If there are no flowers in the world how will men learn of Him who loves them and clothes them and feeds them? If there are no flowers, how will Christ, when He comes, find illustrations for His teaching? If there are no flowers, how will men get glimpses of the beauty of Heaven?

So God commanded the angel who guarded the gate to take some of the seeds of every flower in the Garden and, as he flew back to heaven, to scatter them over the earth. The angel did as he was commanded. And the winds took the seeds and scattered them far and wide over every continent and island, so that men might learn of God's love and of the beautiful home He had prepared for those who love Him.

So, boys and girls, that is the first message of the lilies and of every little flower that grows. They teach us that God is love. Have we eyes to read their message?

God made the country,

Man made the town.

God clad the country

In a green gown.

......

Poor folks from Eden

Driven away,

God made the country

For a holiday.

God gave the country

A flower, a bird,

To comfort His children

For the flaming sword.

For easing and pleasing

He made a tree,

Many a sweet rivulet,

Dew and the bee.

God made the country,

Man made the town,

Is not God a maker

Of great renown?

(Katharine Tynan)

There is a story of an old Scottish Highlander who every morning went a little distance from his cottage and stood for a few minutes with his bonnet off. One day a friend came upon him standing thus. He waited till the old man had covered his head and then he asked him if he had been saying his prayers. With a rare smile the Highlander replied, “I've come here every morning for years to take off my bonnet to the beauty of the world.”

If we have eyes to read God's message aright we too shall feel like taking off our bonnet to the beauty of the world.

2. The lilies bring us a message of God's care. If God can trouble to clothe the flowers so beautifully, much more will He clothe and care for His children.

Mungo Park, the African traveler, was once attacked and robbed by savages. He was left naked and sick and alone five hundred miles from a European settlement. He had no means of defense against wild beasts; he had no shelter and it was the rainy season. He was just about to give himself up as lost when his eye lit upon a tiny plant of moss no bigger than the tip of his finger. Yet although it was so small the little plant was perfect in form and beauty. And the traveler thought if God had taken such pains to bring a tiny plant to such perfection in that obscure corner of the world, then He must take knowledge of, and care for, the sufferings of one of the creatures made in His own image. That thought gave him new hope. He set out to seek for help and eventually reached safety.

Boys and girls, this was Jesus' special message about the lilies. He came to earth to show us that God cares for us. He lived and died to show us that God cares. And if He cares in the big things surely He cares in the little things too. How are we repaying all His love and care?