Rose Tapestry

The petals were velvet, soft and smooth to the touch.  The silk touch of velvet was a vibrant red with drops of dew giving it a look of sparkling diamonds. I looked across the garden of roses and my heart filled with joy and praise began to flow unceasingly. Each rose was different, separate and unique. Each gave a fragrance of its very own.  Each required care and protection independent of the other. I thought of the work that went into this garden to produce the beauty of each rose. The digging, cutting, watering, feeding and special care that was given to each rose could only be found from one who loves the garden and each rose as his very own..  Time was of no importance for he devoted his time and life for the keeping of the roses. This was his desire and the object of his devotion.

This garden was not always filled with beautiful flowers. For this garden I am speaking of is the garden of my heart and there were times when my heart was not beautiful. I thought of the times when the garden was overgrown with weeds and thorns and then barren ground. Roses did not grow there. I looked at my heart and realized   a great truth. To have beauty in my soul, I had to go to the Keeper of the garden.  I had to seek the One who loved me and ask His divine help to reclaim this plot of ground for His beauty.

He said “You must remove the weeds of discontentment that has crowded your joy.” The work began.

 It was not easy to remove something that I’d grown accustomed to living with. But with time and effort I replaced the weeds with roses and like Paul I can say “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content, and Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (Phil. 4:11   1 Tim. 6:6)

I will water and care for theses roses daily.

He then pointed to several other strange looking weeds. He told me these also had to be pulled out of the garden and tossed away. These weeds are common to us all. You will recognize them as common to your own. It will require pruning and cutting. It will hurt.

They are the weeds of grumbling, complaining and fault finding. These weeds wandered through the wilderness journey along with Moses. I had difficulty pulling these weeds. They have been part of my life for a long time and are second nature. I knew I would need Divine help with these. But because “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 3:13) I will toil harder on these and plant roses in their place. The roses of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness and faith will take their place in my garden.

The weeds of bitterness and un-forgiveness skipped across the garden followed in pursuit from the Divine Gardener. The chase was on, but victory surly comes.   Just when everything seems to be going well with the garden, these weeds pop their heads here and there at the most un-foreseen time and unfortunately, from the ones we least expect. This requires much overtime and deep cutting to keep these weeds out of our garden. Our garden of roses must be kept healthy, vibrant and free of these weeds “less any root of bitterness spring up and trouble us.” (Heb. 12:15)  These roots cause a hard dry brittle garden and cannot produce the joy and the sweet aroma of the rose. They must be removed. I plucked out these roots and planted in their place the sweet fragrance of a kind and forgiving spirit that only the Divine Gardener can plant. These roses are all too delicate and must be cared for with much love and tenderness.

The garden of my heart has to be fed and watered daily. The work is unceasing, for I always desire the presence the Divine Gardener.  I will feed my heart with His Word and water it daily with much prayer and supplications. I will pull out the unwanted weeds and replace them with praise and adoration to the lover of my soul.  Solomon 2:1 tells us  of another rose when he states “I am the rose of Sharon”  Isaiah 35: 1,2 also shows us of a dry barren desert that blossomed as the rose. “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”  Let our heart be filled with the Rose of Sharon and blossom with the sweet fragrance of His love and peace. Take an inward look of your heart. Do you have the Divine Gardener living there?   What kind of work do you need to do to make the garden of your heart beautiful? What are your weeds that crowd out the fertile soil and choke the life of every living and healthy plant? Each heart is personal and different. Each heart is loved equally by the Gardener. Each heart is either a field or a garden. Ask for His help for He tells us to “come boldly before the throne of grace.”   Delay makes the weeds grow faster and stronger. Begin work today on your rose garden and bask in the aroma of each velvety petal as it looks toward heaven and the Gardener who walks through it.

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 Roses have always been a token of love.  And hearts are always shown as pictures of love and romance. On special days of the year young men give roses to the fair young lady of his dreams. Husbands give wives roses on birthdays and anniversaries.  A bouquet of roses can mend a broken heart, dry a tear, rebuild dreams, and put smiles on a face. What a gleam it will bring to an eye. There are red roses, pink roses and yellow roses; All beautiful and all with a delicate fragrance that is a delight to everyone. Roses are always given on the fourteenth of February to sweethearts around the world. Who could overlook Valentine’s Day? A special day set aside to say “I love you” to that certain someone in your life. They are given throughout the year to those “special people” in our lives who are the objects of our affections.

The roses in our hearts are cared for by the Divine gardener who owns and keeps it. Let us not forget to give our love and devotion to the One who is called “The Rose of Sharon.” this particular time of year. While we are giving roses to everyone else, let us remember the One who tends our garden.

The gift of love is always a wonderful thing but whatever is good and pure and holy in human love is only
a tiny taste and pattern of God’s love. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
 that we should be called the sons of God…” 1 John 3:1