Flowers make our minds blossom with awe. Any flower we see can lead us to wonder by reminding us of what flowers symbolize: beauty, fun, and joy.
In Wake Up to Wonder, I tell the story of how my daughter Honor and I volunteered to prepare a float for a Tournament of Roses Parade. That parade is known for its innovative use of flowers. All Rose Parade floats use mostly botanical materials, and they’re covered with diverse varieties of flowers that inspire awe. While Honor and I were tasked with working with cocoa beans, we were surrounded by other volunteers working with many kinds of flowers: roses, daisies, orchids, carnations, marigolds, and more. Each flower had its own distinct purpose in each float’s design – just as each of us human beings has our own unique purpose in God’s design.
Whenever you need a fresh dose of wonder, enjoy some flowers! Here are some Bible verses about flowers that you can use in prayer and meditation:
“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” – Song of Songs 2:12
“I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” – Song of Songs 2:1
“The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” – Psalm 103:15-16
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you – you of little faith!” – Luke 12:27-28
“Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.” – Isaiah 5:24
“I [Jesus] am the true vine and my father is the gardener.” – John 15:1
“I [Jesus] am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” – Isaiah 35:1-2
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
Flowers show us God’s beautiful bouquet of orderly yet playful designs. They display God’s careful, creative work as the ultimate gardener. The wonder of flowers reminds us of the joy that can bloom in our lives when we’re connected to God.
Learn more about experiencing God’s wonder in Wake Up to Wonder (order the paperback or the e-book) and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year (order the paperback or the e-book).