Sunflowers Focus on the Son and so Should We
I love nature!
When we look around the outside world, we see so many reminders created by God showing us how to model our behavior. Although I am a lover of all things wild and natural I am no green thumb – truth be told I have a reputation for killing plants. I am pretty sure that there is WANTED sign with my picture on it hanging somewhere within the plant community for all the accidental torture I have caused plants. It is best that I allow things to grow wild and not try to tamper with God’s natural processes. Thank God there are farmers to grow food for me or I would surely starve to death. All this is one of the reasons that I had never heard about the peculiar behavior of sunflowers.
Sunflowers! Who knew?
In two different settings this week, sunflowers were used as a beautiful visual that I knew I had to share with you. The blooms of sunflowers are known for moving to face the path of the sun throughout each day. The movement of the sunflowers is caused by uneven growth of the stem. One side grows during the day and one side grows during the night, allowing the bloom to turn to follow the sun. The sunflower’s genes respond to light making this possible and helping the sunflower to have advantages produced by taking in as much sunlight as possible. If you want to learn a little more about sunflowers watch this short Science video.
Follow the sunflowers, they know what to do!
As I previously said I am not a gardner by any stretch of the imagination, but the idea that God created a stationary plant that adjusts to face the sun is just astonishing to me. In addition even when the sunlight goes away and world grows dark; the sunflower returns to the position where it knows the sun will return. The sunflower literally moves where it will receive warmth and nourishment; much like we do!
Hebrews 12:2
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
It is such an unexpected example of keeping our eyes on who is providing us provision. We should be keeping our eyes on the Son throughout the moments of each and every day. When the world grows dark, we should still keep our eyes on the Son until we feel his presence again. I don’t believe in coincidence, I believe God is giving us divine wisdom through his earthly examples. God is too good to waste things to chance!
Psalm 123:1
I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
Listen to this hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by Lauren Daigle Originally written in 1922 by Helen Howarth Lemmel. This hymn says this message in the most beautiful way.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
It’s just perfectly written and beautifully sung. So very true, when we keep our eyes upon Jesus all the troubles of the world just aren’t that important anymore. Our trials are dim in comparison to the LIGHT of His glory and grace. So the next time you’re staring at your feet or looking down drowning in your own tears remember the sunflower who is facing its source of light – just like we should be.
Psalm 141: 8-10
But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death. 9 Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.
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2 thoughts on “Sunflowers Focus on the Son and so Should We”
I love that this resonated with you! God gives us so many beautiful creations in nature that all look to him. Reminders all around us!
I absolutely love this and it makes so much sense. I have always loved nature, and over the years my “favorites” have changed. Sunflowers and yellow have been my current ones for several years now. As I read this, it made so much sense to me that as over the years, I have turned more toward God. Thank you for the words of wisdom and the enlightenment.