The plants in the garden are at last getting good rain. It is going to rain all week. I am pleased.
This morning I brought inside three stems of Choisya ternata/ Mexican Orange blossom and a few stems of Asteraceae/ Chrisanthemum. I wondered whether they would even go together.
Here in Ruth the potter’s green jug they are with a few autumnal leaves from a nearby shrub.
What did I want to see? The smallest bud and the first movement of petals on the chrysanthemum.
The rich green of the Mexican orange leaves has raindrops running down, a little weather brought inside.
A jug of foliage, a gift from nature.
I travel well with religion and nature and I was reading something really old last night. It was the book of Habakkuk.
Here are some interesting verses that are taken from ‘ A Vision of Judgement and Deliverance.’
Habakkuk starts by saying how afraid he is and tells God that in His anger He should remember mercy.
The physical effect on Habbakuk was: my stomach trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rotteness entered my bones, that I might rest in the days of trouble.
He then describes nature’s reaction, the rivers, seas, and mountains moon and stars as a cause of his emotional response. This is all part of God’s judgment on the wicked.
Habbakuk then says that although judgment involves trees and fields not producing food that he will rejoice in the God of His salvation.
It is difficult to acknowledge that God, our loving Father is also the God of judgment. He will be the One who eventually destroys sin and wickedness forever!
God speaking through Ezekiel to Satan: ‘ Your heart was proud because of your beauty, you corrupted wisdom because of your brightness, I, God will cast you to the ground…I will bring fire out from the middle of you, it will eat you completely, you will be ashes on the Earth in the sight of those who look at you. And you will never be anymore.‘
Ezekiel 28: 17…19 ( Sandy’s wording but read the whole chapter. It is really interesting.)
Let us end with Jesus speaking to God:
‘ You have loved me before the foundation of the world. Oh, righteous Father, the world has not known You: but I have known You, and these have known that You sent me. I have declared Your name to them so that the way You love me You, God, may love them.’
John 17: 24,25,26.
Sandy 🙂
Ps
‘Tolerating evil leads only to more evil. And when good people stand by and do nothing while wickedness reigns, their communities will be consumed. ‘
Bob Riley
‘ To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.’
Confucius