Rooted in Faith [Choosing Joy]

Lightning lit up the sky, thunder boomed, and it was as if the clouds were pouring buckets of rain down upon us.  Quickly the drainage sewers became overwhelmed and mud, mulch, and debris began floating across yards and driveways and into some homes.

When the storm and the flash flood finally subsided and the sparkle of dawn appeared, we could see the damage that the storm left.  My garden, a labor of love that I share with my father, was a mess.  Our sweet corn and sunflowers that had so proudly reached for the sky 24 hours previous were now leaning sideways having been unable to resist the flood waters.  The sogginess of the garden prevented me from traipsing through to stand the plants back up, so with a sigh, I told myself that when the ground dried up a bit, I would go through and pull up the cornstalks and just try again next year.

The next day I went out to the garden and to my surprise, the corn stalks were all beginning to curve upwards.  The bottoms of the stalks were still out of place, but the tops of the corn were reaching straight up to the sun.

The day after that, I went out to the garden and to my shock, the corn stalks had righted themselves!  Nearly every plant had pulled itself upright again.  Despite the flood waters rushing, despite the debris battering, and despite the mud slipping away, the roots of the sweet corn held tight and with time were able to hoist the tall stalks back up.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV)

In the same way, a heart rooted in faith in Jesus Christ will hoist up our spirits when trials come.

Father God, I praise you for your creation.  I am amazed that you thought to design corn to right itself after a storm.  Thank you for this living example of your genius and your power.  Let this illustration remind me to be strong through every storm.  Amen.