THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER EVENT IN THE WORLD - THE CEREUS

There is a unique member of the cactus plant which looks like any other desert cactus. It is so nondescript that no one notices it....and why should they? This cactus is so indicative of the incredible Mind and Hand of God that any definition cannot do it justice.

It is called the Night-Blooming Cereus (seen here). This cactus flower only blooms once a year. It blooms once, on a random night in either June or July and then, at nightfall. It remains until just before dawn, when the cereus wilts and is done. It is such a beautiful, sweet-smelling fragrant flower, it has names which point to majesty and beauty. Some of the other names for this flower are "Christ in the Manger", "Princess of the Night", "Honolulu Queen" or "Dama de Noche" (Queen of the Night). Perfumers have even tried to recreate this in the lab as seen here. The official name of the night-blooming cereus is Selenicereus grandiflorus

The night-blooming cereus is found mainly in the south-western United States deserts of West Texas, Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of southern Arizona and parts of northern Mexico. Apart from the amazing fact of the one-time annual nightly bloom, is the size the stem can get up to. The stem can run from between four to eight inches in length, in those few night hours, before it goes by dawn the next day.

This is an absolutely amazing natural phenomenon which only the outstanding, unfathomable Mind of Creator God could come up with.  The desert Cereus testifies to the wonder of the Divine Who is always working, but Who is always unique in His design.  He Himself describes the characteristics of some of His masterpieces. Read what He says about the ostrich in Job

Whether is the humorous ostrich; the fearsome leviathan reptile; the dangerous Orak or the stunningly fragrant and temporary bloom on the Cereus, nothing approaches His masterwork –  you and I. He Who made the Heavens and the earth; the stars and galaxies yet unknown, has called us to Himself as a people in the greatest plan of redemption ever known to mankind.

It is this, through the Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom He has achieved this perfect plan, yet still unfolding.  The Ancient of Days allowed His One of a kind (only begotten) Son to step off the Throne of Heaven one time. He did not consider equality with the Father a thing to be held on to, until His knuckles turned white. He poured Himself into a human body and still did not descend from Heaven with trumpets blaring, driving a golden chariot. Man-made Hollywood movie studios and heads of earthy governments would do that, not God Himself. Instead, Yahweh God, the One Who lives forever, lowered Himself to be born in a cave where animals were kept.

He had no fancy baby crib from Macy’s with fresh new clothes from the well-attended baby shower, but he was wrapped in poor strips of cloth and placed in a feed trough. Instead of royal attendants and hundreds of servants, He was visited by men who were branded as outcasts from the all-important Temple in Jerusalem and by the elite of that city. Yet the baby lambs and sheep they raised in their many flocks on Shepherds Field in Bethlehem, were the same animals used for the required sacrificed in pre-Crucifixion Jerusalem Temple worship of Yahweh. These outcast men, some of whom were not of the best character, were chosen by God to have the huge Heavenly hosts of Angels appear to, in order to announce the birth of Jesus in one of their caves!

Like the sweet-smelling Cereus cactus flower which only appears once a year in the middle of the night, the sweet Savior of the World appears to the depressed and deserted on the rocky, hard-scrabble Shepherds Fields where only loneliness and toil prevail.. The sweet Savior only came once, paid for all sin for all time - ONCE. He then died, was buried and was resurrected - ONCE. There is nothing sweeter than this.

Psalm 8 comes to mind, because it contains the Words from the Holy Spirit through King David. David marvels at the God Who would create a mostly unseen unique gem of a flower like the Cereus, yet announce the greatest event in History – to poor, disgruntled, depressed and discarded shepherds. These shepherds – “poimenes” (or pastor) in the Original Language of the New Testament.

As we contemplate the power and wonders of our Great God and Creator, as seen here in Psalm 8, may it challenge us to take the beauty and divine fragrance of the Pure Gospel of Truth and Love to as many as we can in our brief lives. May it not just remain unseen, like the beautiful Cereus, in the desert. But may more than too many, see us, our actions and our words, and want to know Him, Whom the great classic song calls “The Lily of the Valley” – the “Rose of Sharon” – that Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Amen. Jesus is our Lord. He is our Creator. He is God in the flesh. He is our Savior.

Psalm 8 - The Glory of the Lord in Creation

1  O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

2    Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

3    When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

4    What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

5    For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6   You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,

7   All sheep and oxen— even the beasts of the field,

8   The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.

9   O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!

THE MEANING OF LIFE: PART 10 OF 12

A CHAPTER BY CHAPTER STUDY OF THE BOOK OF                                                        ECCLESIASTES......CHAPTER 10

"A LITTLE FOOLISHNESS"

Does your life have fragrance? Are people attracted to the Light that shines through you? The answers to these and other matters raised here in life are answered here in Ecclesiastes 10! This chapter contains several proverbs which make us think and then use that process to drop the plumb line against our own lives, to see if we are lined up in accurate thinking about these things - the things of God!

Ecclesiastes 10

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left. 3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his [a]sense is lacking and he [b]demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. 4 If the ruler’s [c]temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler— 6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. 7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the [d]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must [e]exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. 11 If the serpent bites [f]before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. 12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF CHAPTER 10

THINK ON THESE THINGS - THURSDAY

THE SWEET AROMA OF CRUSHING!

From time to time, in our long journey through the 39 verses of  Hebrews 11, a fellow saint will drop in to challenge us to a new look at sharpening our walk with Christ in a powerful way. Lynn Mosher, one of my favorite writers does just that with "The Sweet Aroma of Crushing"!  This is really meaningful. So please take your time, read this and then look in the mirror of your soul. This is how Transformation wins over conformity!

LYNN MOSHER

Here is Lynn: 

Have you ever experienced a devastating circumstance in your life? At one time or another, we all go through trials that attempt to crush us, squeeze us, bruise us, or set us on fire. Though these difficulties strike us, many times their impact will bring beauty out of chaos, if we allow it.

Some things only achieve their greatest design through crushing blows…

*The squeezing of grapes produces sweet wine.

*The pressing of olives extracts their delectable oil.

*Only when wheat is ground is it useful for making bread.

*The crushing of flower petals releases their oil for fragrance.

*Incense is useless – its purpose not fulfilled, its odors not set free – unless touched by fire.

*Only through great pressure, heat, and time does coal produce the gemstone of a diamond.

Just as many things of nature suffer contrary conditions in order to be expanded, strengthened, or enhanced, so, too, do we. Some circumstances only achieve God’s greatest purpose in our lives through pressure and crushing, through tears and suffering, allowing the pleasing fragrance of obedience and sweet graces of God’s will to be released.

But during these trying situations, how do we behave? Do we whine, kick, scream, question God, or tell Him it isn’t fair? Or do we succumb to the Lord’s power to work, bow to His divine purpose, and submit our will to His, offering praise from lips of thanksgiving?

Which behavior do you believe is the sweet aroma in His nostrils?

How did God’s children of the Bible react when they experienced bruising, crushing, or fires? Granted, some, such as Israel, were whiners. However, the Bible is filled with the accounts of great trust.

One is Paul. Of the multitude of afflictions he experienced, he said, “We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for He can even raise the dead. And He did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect Him to do it again and again.” (2 Cor. 1:8-10 TLB)

Another is the Three Amigos. You know, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. While they were in the fiery furnace, they believed their God would deliver them, and, even if He didn’t deliver them, they believed He would save them from Nebuchadnezzar.

As those flames lapped up around them, God rescued them and, when they came out, not even the smell of smoke clung to them. Their sweet aroma of faith was not changed.

Did you know God has sensitive sinuses? He anticipates our fragrance long before we emit it. So, during those times of adversity, do we present Him with a pleasant aroma in His nostrils or a stench stuck in His throat? Are we like Estee Lauder’s Beautiful perfumery or a men’s locker room? Like a flower shop or a machine shop? Like a bakery or a fertilizer plant?

Are our trust and faith as that sweet aroma of the alabaster passion box, lovingly poured upon Jesus’ head, which seeped into His beard and gently trickled down upon His shoulders, saturating His garment?

Prayer: Lord, may my life be broken open as a precious passion box, poured out to You.

May each burden of my life work as a weight to crush my disobedience, my instability to stand on Your word, and my inability to be used of You.

Crush me as the flower petals are compressed for their fragrant perfume. Crush me as the olives are squeezed for their valuable oil. Crush me and make my life into that delectable wine.

Let my life overflow with the sweet-scented oil of Your Holy Spirit, poured forth upon the hearts of others to soothe the hurts that the trials of this world have etched into their precious lives.

I pray that the things crushing each reader’s life right now will only work to bring out the precious fragrance of obedience and sweet graces of Your will. Amen!