A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS
For the first time this Advent season, I am attempting a devotional. I have never done one before, but a friend I met on a Christus Ministries retreat extended the invite on three different Instagram group chats and I knew by the third invitation, it was meant to be. With less than 24 hours to spare, I signed up on her website, bought the book online and logged into Zoom the next day on the first Sunday of Advent.
With little expectation but with much anticipation, the nine women in that group poured from our hearts as we shared and reflected on what Hope meant for us. When sharing, some of us were rivers, carrying the wisdom of past experiences into the ocean of God’s mercy experienced in community. Others, like myself, were pitchers: pouring out parts of our selves one glass at a time, just enough to satiate our hearts.
Regardless of content, it was clear to me something was budding in each of us. “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom” Isaiah 11:1 reads, followed by a beautiful description of the spirt of the Lord that rests upon this bud filled with wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, fear of the Lord (and delight in it!). And how I saw this Spirit radiate through these women! In that moment we were a bouquet of budding flowers, lovingly arranged by our Lord with different colors and varieties, each complimenting the other yet every flower still different from her sister.
And if this is the start of my Advent season, I look forward to seeing how this little bud shall blossom. And I ponder how I can let the most skilled Flower Arranger and Gardener of our Lord cultivate this Spirit in me. And in this moment, I am invited to wait: to not pull at the petals, not to overwater the poor thing, nor to just sit and watch while this flower slowly unfolds. But to continue the rhythm of my daily life with the mindfulness of this budding Spirit within me. And I invite you to do the same: what is this bud of the Spirit growing in you? A spirit of wisdom, understanding, something else? When you imagine Jesus tending your inner garden, what do you see? And how does He invite you to participate in the cultivation of your heart?
And soon, without hesitation, the Lord will nudge each of us at our own time, and say “Look!” And I look forward to seeing when the bud is no longer just a bud, but an integral part of my transformation in Christ - it won’t just be a single flower in a vase, to bloom, wither and pass. No, the Lord is for sustainability, and this flower will find a home in my inner garden, in my heart, where God resides, truly meeting the expectation that “...His dwelling shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10).
Through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, who allowed the Spirit of the Lord to lead his heart in service of sharing the faith, may we also allow the Lord Jesus to inspire our hearts this Advent, making them our guiding compasses for our life's purpose and His glory. Amen.
Liz Tapang
Photo credit: Unsplash