By Ashlie Miller

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” — Martin Luther.

I have a growing love of botanicals — their colors and fragrances, the intrinsic detail of each plant, each petal. It is astounding! Yet, I have mixed feelings about receiving plants as gifts. Upon receiving them, my eyes gleam with hope, but then, reality sinks in. I have to feed, water and protect this living green thing. I have managed to keep five children fed several times a day, in clothing that mostly fits and put to rest as needed, but I make no such promises with plants. Did I neglect to water you? Did I overcompensate by drowning you? What are these spotty things on your leaves? It looks like you have left us, so do I toss you or hold out false hope?

I found an amaryllis bulb from two Christmases ago that I had tossed into the garage, forgetting what it once held. Upon visiting my stepdad this past Christmas, I saw that the bulb given to him the previous year was flourishing. I asked him, “How did you manage that?” and wondered if there would be hope for my poor, neglected bulb. Of course, I forgot to follow up when I returned home. A month passed before I found it again, but when I did, I finally planted it in a pot with dirt, showering it with water. When I say “planted,” I mean I stuck it in dirt, not even fresh dirt — something from a bag I found hidden in the shed. Sigh, even my efforts seemed half-hearted. However, in recent weeks, I beam with delight, seeing something green sprouting and flourishing — currently 10-12 inches of greenery. It feels like a resurrection!

I am sure many readers have green thumbs or at least enough dirt under their nails to prove they know what they are doing. Does it astound you when a plant comes back from what seems to be the perils of death? Maybe you rescue plants from the clearance shelf or even the dumpster. You may have even purchased those resurrection plants (Rose of Jericho) through Amazon to witness such a phenomenon. I think deep inside us, we love the idea of life coming from seeming death. What a lovely reminder during the Easter season — the Resurrection season! Not only was Christ resurrected from actual death, but the same power that raised Him can also transform those of us dead in Christ, miserable in the existence and bondage of sin. The same power will give Christians a true, bodily resurrection not merely a spiritual resurrection.

Romans 1:16 — which by now the avid reader knows is a favorite verse of mine — points to nature’s general revelation of God’s attributes. That knowledge compels us to learn the special revelation of ideas like redemption in the truth of God’s Word. Through general revelation in nature, these signs of resurrection in what is seemingly dead — a resting plant bulb — are a pale comparison to He who was truly dead and fully resurrected. But it is something to learn from and to point us to God’s Word.

As you nurture diseased or seemingly lifeless plants to health this spring season, may your heart and attention be directed to the resurrection that has occurred in Christ and that which will happen for believers in Christ. What an opportunity to worship as we work, grow and cultivate!

Ashlie Miller and her husband Chad do a lot of weeding, nurturing and pruning….but mostly on their five children in Concord. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.