I was driving back from work today and just had to pull over and take a few snaps of these amazing almond blossom trees in a front yard. It's a really windy day today and there was a constant stream of spinning and tumbling pink and white blossoms floating across the road that was absolutely impossible to miss. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that noticed how awesome it looked - as a matter of fact Japan has a whole festival set aside for this type of beauty.
Here's the thing though... Outside of the blossom season an almond tree isn't exactly the most beautiful or comely tree to look at. It's dark, lumpy and has ungainly twisted craggy limbs and I doubt any kid out there is dying to climb it either. On any normal day you'd just walk right past it - never even looking twice and dismissing it as unremarkable and possibly even ugly. But when that God given time to bloom comes - an explosion of whites and pinks, grace and beauty, elegance and art bursts out for all to see. An unmissable spectacle of the true Creators hand at work. A masterpiece of timing and effortless poise made for one single purpose - to bring glory to the One who made it.
We are all just like that almond tree. There are times when we feel useless, ugly, forgotten, denied and even worthless. But everything has a season and when He gives the word you will bloom just like the blossoms of the almond. Your time will come because our God is a God that makes rivers in the desert, He makes beautiful things from burnt and charred ashes, and breathes life into dead, long forgotten bones. You are known, loved and planned. God loves you.
Here's the thing though... Outside of the blossom season an almond tree isn't exactly the most beautiful or comely tree to look at. It's dark, lumpy and has ungainly twisted craggy limbs and I doubt any kid out there is dying to climb it either. On any normal day you'd just walk right past it - never even looking twice and dismissing it as unremarkable and possibly even ugly. But when that God given time to bloom comes - an explosion of whites and pinks, grace and beauty, elegance and art bursts out for all to see. An unmissable spectacle of the true Creators hand at work. A masterpiece of timing and effortless poise made for one single purpose - to bring glory to the One who made it.
We are all just like that almond tree. There are times when we feel useless, ugly, forgotten, denied and even worthless. But everything has a season and when He gives the word you will bloom just like the blossoms of the almond. Your time will come because our God is a God that makes rivers in the desert, He makes beautiful things from burnt and charred ashes, and breathes life into dead, long forgotten bones. You are known, loved and planned. God loves you.
