Merry Christmas? No, not really. These lovely poinsettias have been gracing my home for nearly three months. By now, I’m tired of watering and picking up old discarded leaves. And frankly, they’ve never lasted this long. Usually, they get spindly and I cut the blooms, put them in a vase, and enjoy the last couple days of their blossoms. Not these lovelies, though. There’s a story behind them.

It was a busy Sunday. We were having one more set of family over for Christmas celebration, two days after Christmas. We stopped at the store for one item I needed to complete our meal. As we exited the store–walking quickly-our guests were soon to arrive, I glanced at a table of beautiful, full poinsettias. Beside the table was the sign FREE. “Look, Jim!” I exclaimed. “Free!” And I picked out two. They looked exactly as the photo I took this morning. I’m really ready for them to fade away, but I can never toss out a perfectly good plant! So they remain in my living room.

They remind me of my relationship with the Lord. Sometimes I put off “watering” my soul with the words of wisdom in His Word. Sometimes I don’t want to be “groomed” spiritually. I sometimes have a poor attitude about “things”.

This morning, I read a Psalm and  in it, I was rewarded with the calm assurances of our God. I read about the perfect law of the LORD. The precepts. The commands. The fear and the decrees.  I read how they are good and right. That they draw me right back into a close relationship with Him. He’s there with His perfection that no one else can match. The Psalm ends with this:

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:10-14 NIV).

As I looked out my window at the desk where I work, I noticed three ducks fly over. One stopped and perched on the two story house across the street. It was there for at least fifteen minutes, not moving a feather. Then I noticed a pair of ducks fly right next to him, quacking and finally, the duck who seemed lost, flew off with them. It was as if he didn’t know what to do. His “god”,  the pair of ducks who came back to get him, steadied him and reassured him he wasn’t alone.

That’s what God’s word does to me. It steadies me. Reassures me He’s right there.

How about you? Do you need to dust off your Bible, open it up and see what He will say to you? I suggest you start with Psalm 19. There is a lot of meat in there, but it is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold!

My poinsettias? They remind me God doesn’t give up on me either. His word is there, waiting to be read. To speak to our souls.11By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Feast on the honey!