Lookalikes

Sunflowers have always fascinated me. I photographed this one in my daughter’s front yard on New Year’s Day 2018. Those of you who know me will know that I am always going on about how flowers could not have designed themselves as they have no brains and are so remarkable and cleverly programmed that we must give God the credit.

A farmer I met, who grows hundreds of hectares of Sunflowers, told me that he loves them because he sows the seeds back and forth from North to South and South to North and knows that when they flower they will all look towards the East where the Sun rises. Thus if he needs to spray them, the crop spraying aircraft just approaches them from the East and the spray goes straight into their “faces”, which is ideal. Furthermore, when he harvests them he does so by driving the harvester from North to South and South to North knowing that he will approach the heads side on, which is apparently the easiest way to collect them.

I admire them because they are well named as they are like little replicas of the sun and brighten up the garden or field where they are planted. It appears to me that we could all probably learn a little lesson from these Sunflowers if we cared to, after all, Jesus did say we should “Consider the lilies of the field”. Not that these are “lilies” of course, but I’m sure he had all flowers in mind when He said those words and it was just that lilies were plentiful where He was, so he knew that all his hearers would relate to them. He went on to make the point that if God so clothed flowers, that would only last a day or so, with “clothing” that was far more beautiful than anything the wealthy King Solomon in all his glory had to wear, how much more will God look after you and me if we have faith in Him. Jesus was so practical and “down to earth” with his illustrations, wasn’t He? The simplest person in the world could understand them, and that is exactly what He wanted to achieve because He also said that “it was not His will that any person should perish” and most people are simple folk and he went on to say that “I shall in no wise cast out” the person that cometh unto me. The thief crucified beside Jesus is a good illustration of that, he was a convicted thief but “believed” in Jesus and said “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom,” so Jesus didn’t hesitate but, because the thief trusted Him and called to him for help, he replied “this day you will be with me in Paradise”.  Yes, the Christian Gospel (good news) is so simple any child can understand it. All the simple details are outlined in the New Testament and amount to just accepting the forgiveness Jesus offers you, and endeavour to follow his Commandment “That you love your neighbour as you love yourself”.

As I write this I am sitting beside Audrey’s bed where she is in Palliative Care, our family have been to see her and I have no doubt the Angels will soon take her to meet Jesus. How thankful I am that she has fulfilled those requirements I have quoted in red above, (as I have done too), thus Audrey will soon be in a place where there is nothing but joy and happiness and I have the assurance that we will have a wonderful reunion at some time in the future.

I trust that anyone reading this article also has that “blessed assurance”. If not, it is immediately available as Jesus said: “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but shall inherit eternal life”. So don’t delay, check it out, it is in John’s gospel in the New Testament, chapter 3 and verse 16.

What a blessing,

 best wishes, Tom.

P.S.  I wrote this yesterday (4/1/2018) and this afternoon at 6.00 pm, as I was making Audrey comfortable in bed, without even a murmur, she relaxed, closed her eyes and went to Heaven. What a wonderful New Year she is going to have.

God bless you,

Tom.