Wildflowers

Keith and I drove to California’s central valley this past weekend to attend a family wedding. The 3½-hour drive, which we’ve made many times before, becomes longer still when traffic through Los Angeles is heavy. Even as a passenger the drive can be drudgery. It’s the destination, the occasion, the family and friends we’ll see that make the journey worthwhile.

So, we were on northbound I-5 just past Gorman on the Grapevine, when our journey took a delightfully unexpected turn.  The typically brown hillsides were quite green from recent rains…with wide swaths of yellow, pale purple, light orange, as well as a deep vibrant orange.  Wildflowers were in bloom!  The sight was so stunning on this normally mundane stretch of road that people actually pulled over on the freeway to take pictures!

I, too, snapped a few pictures as we continued driving, but they just didn’t do justice to the breathtaking beauty, or how alive the colors seemed. All too soon the flowers were behind us and we descended into the valley below, speeding through the farmlands of central California.  As we drove I thanked the Lord for providing that sweet interlude on our journey.

Coming home yesterday, as we approached the Grapevine I couldn’t wait to see the wildflowers again.  But climbing through the pass driving southbound, all we noticed at first were the green and brown hills. No striking colors here…because most of the flowers were on the south-facing hills.  If you weren’t looking for them, if you didn’t expect them to be there, you would not have seen the spectacular display! In order to see it you had to turn your head around; you had to know where to look.

I’m so grateful we knew they were there because these beautiful flowers thrilled my heart even more than the day before. Sadly, most of those in the vehicles driving alongside us had no idea what they were missing.  They didn’t see them at all unless they noticed a snapshot of something bright and colorful in their rearview mirror…too late to enjoy the full experience.

In the Chronicles of Narnia C.S. Lewis alluded to earth being only a shadowland of the real world of heaven that is ahead for those of us who believe in Jesus. If these colors were only a shadow of heaven I cannot imagine how much more beautiful it can be. I can hardly wait to go there to see that indescribable beauty and enjoy the full experience of life with Jesus.  But even now, as the wildflowers attest, He provides glimpses of the glory of that place, enticing us with the joy of an abundant life here that will find it’s full reality in heaven with Him. Oh, how I long for everyone to have eyes that clearly see how full, how rich life in Him can be.

It truly is the destination, the occasion, the family and friends, especially our dearest Friend whom we’ll see that make the journey here and now worthwhile.

Lord, will you open our eyes today and help us look all around for glimpses of Your presence?  Will You help us see the gifts You’ve peppered along our paths that point the way to eternal life with You?  You are the way, Jesus.  Please don’t let anyone miss out on all that You have in store for those who believe in Your name!