"Considering The Lilies!"

Luke 12:27 reads,"Consider the lilies how they grow;they toil not,they spin not; and yet I say that Solomon in all His glory was not arrayed like one of these. This scripture has brought me much comfort through the years epecially during the difficult times when I had been rendered unable to toil or spin as I was acustomed to doing in my busy home life,in a very active children's ministry and in a part-time job.It was during those times that God surrounded me over and over with that calm assurance that indeed,I had nothing to prove.He had made me and it was enough for me for Him,"just being!"What a wonderful Creator and Saviour,Loving Heavenly Father He is.
I love all flowers and plants but lilies have played a big part in my life especially during extremely difficult times.In the early 80's,we were pastoring a little church,I was having some pretty bad physical problems,my dad was dying an agonizing death of esophagal cancer;my four children were ages 3-8;the economy had bottomed out and we had a steady stream of people needing food and other things coming to our door.It was coming upon Easter Sunday and I confess,I was feeling pretty overwhelmed.For sure there was no money to buy the fresh lilies I always hankered for for the church,at Easter.I was battling my discouraging thoughts,trying so hard to think what Easter really meant,but just couldn't quite get above the darkness,as I came down the steps of the parsonage,heading over to our little church,wishing so bad for a sign from above.As I started to pass by our car,out of the corner of my eye,a flash of white in the front seat.I turned to get a better look and what I saw,both humbled me and made me feel so happy and loved.There,in all its glory was my "beautiful Easter Lily",my reminder of how very much God loved me that he would take the time to impress upon a Safeway manager(a good friend) to bring me my Easter flowers.
Maybe today,just now,you are battling overwhelming self-doubts,unworthiness,inadequateness,etc.,etc.,it is enough to just be;consider the lilies!