Your Daily Prayer - A Prayer to Consider the Wildflowers

0:00Life audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer where we help you find the words you need to connect to your father in heaven. No matter what's happening in your life today, you can trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer to consider the wildflowers. Looking for a simple way to stay rooted in God's Word every day, the Daily Bible Devotion app by Salem Media gives you morning and evening devotionals designed to encourage, inspire, keep you connected with Scripture, plus you'll enjoy daily Bible trivia and humor, a fun way to learn and share a smile while growing in your faith. Get the Daily Bible Devotion app for free on both iOS and Android.

1:04Start an in-your-day with God's Word. Search for the Daily Bible Devotion app in the App Store or Google Play Store and download it today. A prayer to consider the wildflowers, written and read by Lea Gerard. Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin, yet I tell you not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these, Luke 1227. Have you ever been completely amazed by a flower or just blown away by how their petals scatter in an unbelievably perfect pattern without any human intervention? Indeed, humans are woven into God's creation, but I like coming back to Luke 1227 and remembering that the way he feeds, grows, designs and dresses the flowers, trees, mountains, skies

2:08and seas is an inconceivable miracle beyond our human ability. The way nature simply trusts the sun, waits for the rain and surrenders its fruit, branches and leaves, shows us so much about God's intent for the condition of our hearts. In his quintessential message, which Matthew calls the Sermon on the Mount and Luke calls the Sermon on the plain, Jesus delivers foundational truths, not only for his generation, but for generations to come. I love Luke 1227, which asks us to consider how the wildflowers grow. It lands in the middle of a passage subtitled in various Bible translations of simply stop worry or do not worry. I wonder if this urgent call is couched in this soft analogy because it shifts our minds away from material things. Instead, it lifts our eyes to the natural world around us, which is always providing.

3:11In fact, Jesus gets very specific in this Sermon, stating in Luke 1215 that, life does not consist of an abundance of possessions. I often go for walks simply to listen for the voices of flowers. Of course, they're not audible, but it seems the way they sprout, shrivel, climb, lie low and burst into glorious colors as an invitation to witness the life God desires for each of us. In Luke 1227, Jesus uses King Solomon as a worldly example of extreme wealth. He no doubt amassed an excess of opulence that some might even idolize. And I can't explain why, in a breath of Scripture, we all just get it. We get what Jesus is saying. He compares Solomon to the quietest, most vulnerable and tender thing that's right beneath our feet. And the flower becomes our teacher.

4:12Jesus always knew what people needed to hear and still does, and why is that? Because God made your heart and he understands your worries. So in Luke 12, he also explains that birds don't build barns and storehouses yet they're fed. He tells us that flowers don't worry about having all the right outfits or impressive clothing, yet their faith is beautiful. He challenges his disciples, calling them ye of little faith. As a wake-up call of sorts, it reveals that even those who walked closely with Jesus and gave up their lives to follow him still struggled to live by faith. Worrying steals our joy and God knows this, so he lovingly warns against it. He asks us instead to see how his marvelous provision sustains us. If you're worrying today about your paycheck, your groceries, your health, your marriage,

5:13your children, or anything else you hold extremely dear, please know this, God sees. He knows, and it's even more important to him that he provides what you truly need. He hasn't promised a life here on earth without pain, sickness or death, but you will have peace to endure and joy for eternity if you surrender to his beautiful plan. You're allowed to release all that's worrying you, God is asking you to give it to him. Why not also ask him to help you live with the faith of a wild flower or the freedom of a bird? His message is clear when we seek God first. He will show us that he supplies what's truly needed. Lord, thank you for the beauty and wonder of your creation, thank you that even a flower can show me who you are. Help me not worry about all the things the world says I need, and instead trust you to

6:18supply what you know I need. Help me lay down some of my striving to make room in my life to see how wild flowers grow, to appreciate that you are the sun, moon and stars. Remember that what I hold in my two hands or my simple home is all because of your provision, not my doing. I'm so grateful for this life, and for your word that challenges me to not just say I have faith, but live in a way that demonstrates my faith, show me, grow me, lead me. I love you, God. Amen. Your daily prayer is a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, be sure to follow our sister show Your Nightly Prayer.

7:20You can find your nightly prayer at lifeaudio.com or in your favorite podcast app. By following your daily prayer and your nightly prayer, you can be sure that your day begins and ends, centered on the Word of God and prayer. Hey there, it's Nicole Unis from The How to Say the Bible Podcast, and I'd love to invite you to join us as we weekly discover a passage of God's Word together from beginning to end, from principles to practicals. We are here to make sure that God's Word is powerful and relevant to your life. If that sounds like something you're looking for, I would love to invite you to subscribe. You can go to lifeaudio.com and search how to study the Bible, and we'll see you there.

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