Wild Flowers

Lately (over the past 3 months) I have been reading some of the books that have been formative in my walk with Christ. One of the first books that I revisited was "Hind's Feet On High Places" by Hannah Hurnard. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it and if you are avoiding reading it, you don't know the blessing that you are missing.

It is a metaphor for the Christian life and the journey deeper into relationship with Christ. I read it for the first time as a senior in high school when Jars of Clay released their album called "Much Afraid" in reference to the song they wrote referencing the main character of the book.

I am just going to share one conversation that goes on between Much-Afraid and the Shepherd as they begin the journey to the high places in chapter 4.

Once the Shepherd stooped and touched the flowers gently with his fingers, then said to Much-Afraid with a smile, "Humble yourself, and you will find that Love is spreading a carpet of flowers beneath your feet."

Much Afraid looked at him earnestly. "I have often wondered about the wild flowers," she said. "It does seem strange that such unnumbered multitudes should bloom in the wild places of the earth where perhaps nobody ever sees them and the goats and the cattle can walk over them and crush them to death. They have so much beauty and sweetness to give and no one on whom to lavish it, nor who will even appreciate it."

The look the Shepherd turned on her was very beautiful. "Nothing my Father and I have made is ever wasted," he said quietly, "and the little wild flowers have a wonderful lesson to teach. They offer themselves so sweetly and confidently and willingly, even if it seems that there is no one to appreciate them. Just as though they sang a joyous little song to themselves, that it is so happy to love, even though one is not loved in return.

"I must tell you a great truth, Much-Afraid, which only a few understand. All the fairest beauties in the human soul, its greatest victories, and its most splendid acheivements are always those which no one else knows anything about, or can only dimly guess at. Every inner response of the human heart to Love and every conquest over self-love is a new flower on the tree of Love.

"Many a quiet, ordinary, and hidden life, unknown to the world, is a veritable garden in which Love's flowers and fruits have come to such perfection that it is a place of delight where the King of Love himself walks and rejoices with his friends. Some of my servants have indeed won great visible victories and are rightly loved and reverenced by other men, but always their greater victories are like the wild flowers, those which no one knows about. Learn this lesson now, down here in the valley, Much-Afraid, when you get to the steep places of the mountains it will comfort you."

Philippians 2:17 - But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.