“Isaiahs”

When I was a little girl, I referred to azalea bushes as “Isaiah” bushes. I haven’t thought about that in years, but recently as I was admiring these beauties and wishing they would last, I called them “Isaiahs” in my head. Isn’t it funny how we retrieve memories?

Azaleas bloom for about two to three weeks. That’s all we get. Some years due to late freezes we may not even get that long! But two to three weeks max…that’s it.

My memory of “Isaiah” bushes made a beautiful connection from my mind to my heart because this past week in my Bible study, I read Isaiah 40:6-8 several times. I learned it in childhood so it sticks there forever, but I haven’t thought of it in quite a while. I’m not sure I had ever grasped this passage until I saw it visually in these flowers.

“All men are like grass and their glory is like flowers of the field. The grass withers, the flowers fall because the breath of the Lord blows on them. The grass withers, the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

Those flowers will be gone in a week like yesterday’s news. As quickly as they bloomed, gone. It’s true of almost everything we know here on earth. Money, homes, cars, health, the attention of people… here today, gone tomorrow. Most of what we busy ourselves with is a briefly blooming flower, at best.

But, not so with the purposes and promises of our God! Not so! FOREVER is how long He will stand. Who else can that be said about besides our God??

We hold fast to Him and must be watchful to not be captivated by flowers that bloom briefly and then disappoint. He will not disappoint. He will not fade or fall. We will not wake up one day and His word not be true. Not ever.

Praises for these “Isaiah” bushes. Maybe that’s why God blooms them around Easter? To remind us that all is temporary? He created . . . we faded . . . we fell . . He sacrificed . . . He conquered . . . He redeemed . . . He restored . . . we repent . . . we accept . . . we LIVE. We live on only through HIM.

Grass withers, flowers fade, but never will there be a day that the children of God do not have resurrection in Him. And all God’s short-lived azalea/Isaiah’s said, In Jesus name, “AMEN”!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• Mysti Chustz has been following Jesus since she was six years old.
• She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. Her most favorite roles are being wife to Philip and mama to Coleman, Mary Lamar, and Clay.
• If one verse was used to describe her life, it would be Philippians 1:6. “Be confident of this, the One who starts the work in you is faithful to complete the work in you.”