Peace lilies

By CHERYL CRUCE

In the early morning, I often sit in the upstairs loft of our home. My husband and I have turned this area into a private haven. Nestled at the top of the stairs, we often listen to music while discussing our day. It is a quiet little nook perfect for morning devotions and being still before God.
This morning the sun is filtering through the window, shining on the peace lily that adorns a corner of the room. I marvel at this plant and its resiliency. The proverbial green thumb skips a generation in my family, resting on the hands of my dad and my two daughters. Nonetheless, this plant has survived three years in the loft under my care.
The plant is commonly known as a “Peace lily.” However, due to its survival status, I have renamed this fantastic piece of greenery “faith lily.” Surprisingly, these lovely flowers are not lilies! The part of the peace lily we call the flower is a spadix. It encompasses a long line of tiny blooms shrouded by a spathe. The spathe is a leaf that has faded from green to white, enhancing the beauty of the flower.
The lily teaches me about my faith. Some mornings, I notice the leaves of my faith lily wilting. When given water, the leaves lift upward in gratitude for the drink.
Other times I see the foliage turning dark, and the absence of new growth is quite evident. When this happens, I move it closer to the window to receive the nourishment needed from the sunlight.
As a pastor, I will admit that my spirit feels wilted sometimes. Life happens. There is the sudden loss of a loved one or an unexpected report from a doctor. Work has busied, causing one-day to slip into two days, becoming three, and time is gone before the next breath can be taken. My spirit drops because I have forgotten the vessel of living water that brings me life. I overslept, and my morning devotion fell to the wayside as I hurried from the loft to the front door to begin my day.
How is it that I neglect the words of my Lord because of the busy world around me?
In John 6:35, Jesus referred to Himself as the living water. He said, “Drink from Me, and you will never thirst again.”
I fill my vessel with prayer, devotion, and the Word of God many mornings. But there are mornings when the world crowds in, and I neglect the well of life, causing my spirit to run dry. Then I see it, a text from a friend with living water. A reminder that they have prayed for me, covering me, offering me a drink from their cup.
And like the leaves of the “peace lily,” my spirit is lifted as the grace of God encompasses me.
Jesus is the living water. As children of God, we need the water to be uplifted. We also need the light of the Son to grow and flower for the Kingdom.
Today if your vessel is filled with His grace, find a friend that is thirsty. Offer them a drink from your cup. Encourage those missing from your fellowship to return to the Son’s light. Be a willing vessel for the Lord. And if by chance you thirst for water and Son shine, find that friend who prays for you.
Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.