The Rose

Isaiah 58:11
“And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”

Sometimes I wonder
how God can be a gardener,
sprinkling seeds
full of love
all over life.

Sometimes I wonder
As new happenings sprout
and I hear winds whisper,
“Don’t doubt,”
what my patience will
become.

Sometimes I wonder
as wildflowers grow,
and my heart is
full of love,
how I water my blessings.
Is each individual the same
or individual
or is my love for one flower
beyond all others?

Sometimes I wonder
as petals form
and I want to tell
all I know,
when I see the dandelions
and the thorns around me
with each new rose,
will my rejoicing ever cease?
Will my thankfulness
for good or bad
stay here?

Sometimes I wonder,
as each wildflower blooms
and my heart is full of loveliness,
how great is the Gardener,
Who created these flowers
and washes them when
they secretly ask for
summer sun and rain?

Sometimes I wonder,
as each flower has its
seasons of life
and each is
splashed with light,
how does each
respond to the other?
With love,
delight,
or ghastly stares?
Do they even delight in
their Gardener
or say,
“No, He didn’t plant me at all”?

Sometimes I wonder,
when winter comes ’round
and each wildflower
withers away,
where do they go for
their winter?
Do they survive
in hiding
until spring?
Or, do they lock
their hearts
and die away?

Sometimes I wonder
If we’re like these
flowers,
wild in every way.
Do we trust our Gardener to see
all of us
and nurture us
every day,
or do we put our hearts
under lock and key
and, when winter comes,
we die?

He talks to us flowers
beckoning us to grow,
so, when winter comes,
we’ll be ready for the
springtime.

This free verse is copyright 2007 by Jessica McLean. File sharing is encouraged.