When I was young, our school vacation began in June — mid-winter in South Africa. The weather was usually cold, wet, and stormy for days and sometimes weeks on end. Confined to the house, we were bored and ill-tempered. We sorely missed playing with our friends in the park. To help us cope, Mom would dress us warmly and take us to the indoor botanical garden in Cape Town. After packing lunch, she would hold our hands and walk us up from the railway station. Under umbrellas in the driving rain, we would make our way over muddy paths and puddles to the greenhouse. We would shed our raincoats, close our umbrellas, open the glass doors and enter a warm, protected environment. Once inside, the beauty of orchids and the fragrance of exotic blooms surrounded us. Here we would play happily for hours, despite the gales raging beyond the walls. Likewise, each day during my prayer time I imagine myself taking the hand of Jesus, shedding my worldly “rain gear,” and prayerfully opening the doors to the Lord’s botanical garden. I enter Christ’s protecting presence and feel secure, despite the storms of life beyond the walls. Keith Honeyman (Western Cape, South Africa) Thought for the Day: To see a photo of Keith and his family at the greenhouse, go to devotional.upperroom.org/blog. Prayer: Dear God, please remind us to make your presence our only port of refuge in any storm. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:26:02 +0000
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