I have recently been going through quite a harrowing time with my care giving duties with a suffering, and therefore difficult 95 year old man, my father. One development after the other has been taking place and as I write this, the end of the tunnel is nowhere in sight.
It is in that frame of mind that I received this email from a well wisher. It has come at the right time and has acted as a balm and given me a fresh dose of energy and enthusiasm to continue with my care giving activities.
Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of
thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses.
~ German Proverb
God’s Rosebud
A new minister was walking with an older,
more seasoned minister in the garden one
day.
Feeling a bit insecure about what God had
for him to do, he was asking the older
preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a
rosebush and handed the young preacher
a rosebud and told him to open it without
tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at
the older preacher and was trying to figure
out what a rosebud could possibly have to
do with his wanting to know the will of
God for his life and ministry.
But because of his great respect for the
older preacher, he proceeded to try to
unfold the rose, while keeping every petal
intact.
It wasn’t long before he realized how
impossible this was to do.
Noticing the younger preacher’s inability
to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the
older preacher began to recite the following
poem…
“It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.”
“The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die.”
“If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God’s design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?”
“So I’ll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step along the way.”
“The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord and Savior knows.
I’ll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.”
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