A devotional to share

(Taken from Upper Room Devotionals 20 Aug 2009)

CHILDREN have fun blowing the seeds off dandelions and watching them float away in all directions. Sometimes the children are disappointed when the fun is over; they want the heads back in one piece so they can experience it all again. But no amount of glue could put a dandelion together again in the way it was created. This dispersal of the dandelion head occurs for a reason: it maximizes the chances of one of the seeds finding a suitable place to set down roots and continue the life cycle. The simple act of letting go and allowing the forces of life to propel it is an integral part of the life process for dandelions.

When life blows us in new directions or propels us into a new stage, we often become uneasy. We may try to cling to the familiar rather than holding on tightly to life and allowing change to carry us along new paths. Fear of the unknown overwhelms many of us, preventing us from enjoying life in all its abundance. However, God calls us toward new horizons, new adventures, and new paths.

We may feel at times as if we are being blown apart, just like the dandelion head. God, however, already has a place prepared where we can put down roots and bloom afresh.

Meg Mangan (New South Wales, Australia)

Lord, as our paths change, help us to seek your guidance. Help us to put our trust in you, wherever we may be. Amen.

Life's winds blow us to new places and toward new growth.

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