by Its grand, pure-white petals gracefully unfolded as the warmth of the morning sun wrapped its comfort around the magnolia blossom. As the sun rose, petal by petal, each unfolded a little further and a little further until it could grasp the entire warmth of the rising sun.
By mid-day the Magnolia was fully open and absorbing the encircling warmth of the sun. Its glorious blossom shone for all to see as it cascaded its beauty out over the end of the branch at the top of the tree. Would anyone see it? Birds soared over, people walked under, cars raced by. Still its beauty spread forth on the tree.
A delicate fragrance like no other filled the air as birds landed in the boughs of the far-out reaching branches. The birds delighted in the perfumed aroma, but people passed by too quickly to enjoy.
The day progressed and the Magnolia flower enjoyed each second of the stunning day God had set forth for it to shine forth its elegance in the world. But all good things must come to an end.
Sinking went the sun, the petals were getting weak, the fragrance was fading, the birds fell fast asleep in the branches. People were in their glass houses and dreaming in their beds. Comfort came as the moonlight spread its delicate light across the soft, drooping petals. A hint of death was slowly spreading through the Magnolia blossom. The flower was feeling a weakness like never before.
Life was fleeing from the flower. As the moon sunk in the horizon so did the heart to the blossom.
The next day dawned, the flower was dead, and all that was left was a hint of pollen on the branches below. The pollen would spread to other blossoms and somehow the Magnolia’s heart would live on as other flowers opened and showed forth their glory for the world to see. On and on would go the circle of life as God had set forth since the dawn of time. The flower had one day to live, but its pollen would go on to pollenate future flowers for all to enjoy.
One day – If you only had one day to live – what would you do? Would you leave behind a residue of pollen that would help others to live on even when you are gone?
This is not a long post, but as some know, I recently brought a cut Magnolia flower
into my house. I put it in a vase as a bud about to open. Then, the next day it was opened when I walked into the kitchen. The day after, I walked into the kitchen and it was brown and dead. “What a short life it had.” I thought.
Then I began to think how short our lives really are in all the realm of eternity. Then, the following day, I moved the vase to clean up the dead flower and there on my counter was an area of pollen left behind. Then I thought further, “When we die and leave this earth, are we really impacting others for Christ like we should?” Like the pollen on a flower impacts other flowers to grow and open, “Do we leave behind a Christian legacy that lives on to impact others for Christ?”
Then I thought of the verse below; and it was a good reminder that in all the world events, at this time, and at any time in the world, we are just a vapor that appears for a little time and then we are gone. “What impact (what pollen) for Christ will you leave behind?”
James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
