FLOURISH




The heart of God is not only to forgive us but to make us flourish. In Hosea 14, He speaks tenderly: “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely… I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily.” What a picture of grace! Where there was dryness, He brings dew. Where there was weakness, He gives strength. Where there was barrenness, He makes fruitfulness.

To flourish in God is to be rooted deeply, like the cedars of Lebanon, and to spread beauty and fragrance, like an olive tree in bloom. It is His promise that under His shade, His people will once again dwell in safety and joy. Flourishing is not something we manufacture, it is the gift of His presence and care.

But Scripture also invites us to live in ways that open our lives to His flourishing. With FAITH, we focus on God and the family He has entrusted to us. Through LOVE, we release unnecessary burdens and learn to forgive. In OBEDIENCE, we turn our steps in His direction. With UNDERSTANDING, we recognize and use the gifts He has planted within us.

Flourishing also means RICHNESS, the readiness to act when God calls. It grows through INTIMACY, drawing close to Him in prayer and small steps of devotion. By the SPIRIT, we are filled again and again, strengthening one another as Paul exhorts in Ephesians 5. And it reflects a glimpse of HEAVEN ON EARTH: healing, humility, and peace shared with those around us.

God’s promise is clear: “Your fruitfulness comes from Me.” As we remain in Him, He makes us blossom in ways seen and unseen. May our lives today be like trees planted by streams of living water: rooted, fragrant, and flourishing in His love.


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