Quietly Blooming

Being the lover of flowers that I am, I love this time of year. Here, at Ellel Grange, the grounds are amazing and full of pretty little flowers. The other day I was chatting with our gardeners at the Grange, Chris and Carol, and going into rapture at how beautiful the rhododendron bushes are – so many bright shades of pink and purple, all in full display around the grounds. At the mention of rhododendrons Chris lit up, as he started to tell me about how he was the most excited about the rhododendron bush hidden away in the wooded area of the grounds, which they’d planted eleven years ago. After eleven years of waiting and checking this rhododendron (Sinogrande - for the gardeners among you), it had finally bloomed.

Because Chris and Carol were so thrilled with this bush, I thought I should definitely check it out. The next break I had, I went for a wander, but it took me two days of wandering in coffee breaks before I found what they were talking about. Hidden away, off any normal path in the grounds, I found this beautiful rhododendron bush with great big, giant white flowers. It was beautiful!

I’d been raving about the flowers I could easily see around the grounds, but the gardener knew every plant in the garden. He was familiar with the beauty of the ones on display that everyone could see, but he took special delight in the one hidden away, quietly growing and blooming. Each year Chris and Carol had kept a log of this rhododendron which they’d planted, and each year they eagerly waited to see if it would bear its amazing bloom. For eleven years they waited, carefully tending this plant, and willing it to blossom. They never doubted its potential, and didn’t care that it wasn’t on massive display for all to see. They just waited and watched it, delighting in what they’d planted, knowing it would blossom when it was ready.

Maybe you’re in a season of your life where you feel a little hidden away, unnoticed, over-looked, unappreciated. It’s not an easy place to be. It’s our humanity that wants recognition and encouragement and praise. If we’re not careful, we measure our worth and our value by what others see and say about us. God reminds us that it’s only what He says and sees that really matters. The Lord knows each one of us, and none of us are hidden or forgotten by Him. Wherever the Lord has planted you, the best thing you can ever do is be at rest, being exactly who He made you to be, chosen by Him, loved by Him, and cheered on to bloom for His delight.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You care about each one of Your children with the same amount of love. You don’t have favourites, or measure our worth by what others see. You look right into our hearts, and see the child You made and created. And You delight in us simply being us. Lord help me to care only about delighting You, and bringing You joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.