The Easter Flower

By: Pastor Richard Izzard

       For the last 10 years I have been trying to sway people’s minds about the Lily as a flower that represents the message of Easter.  It’s beautiful, no doubt. To see our churches adorned with the trumpet shaped flowers heralding the resurrection of Christ is nothing less than awesome.  After the serene days of Lent, and the growing anticipation of something spectacular heralded by the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem, and the faith building institution of the Lord’s Supper, and the excruciating agony of Good Friday, when it seemed as if for a moment sin and the devil had won.  But then came the 3rd day and with the dawning of the sun, good news, exciting news, death dying news was announced, “Christ is risen, He is Risen indeed!”  The Easter Lily might help bring to mind the dawning of a new day and Christ’s triumphant, but besides its beauty, it falls short in a number of ways. 
 
       The Lily is what is known as a “hot house” flower.  It takes the right amount of water, warmth, soil and sun to cause it to bloom.  Too much or not enough water, warmth, or sun, the Lily will not bloom, and will remain lifeless and dull until properly attended.  So, I would respectfully suggest that another flower would be more qualified to represent the joy and the triumph of the greatest message of all, “He is Risen!”
The flower of which I speak comes out every year just around this time.  As a flower it has taken a beating. We dig them up to throw them out, we stomp on them, and douse them with pesticides.  Yet try as hard as we can they keep coming back. I’ve even seen them break through concrete and asphalt as if they are laughing in our faces, as they announce their undeniable and never dying spirit.  The flower? The unbeatable and never to be denied dandelion.

       As Easter people, we know that even if our sins were a thousand times worse than they are, they yet would be no match for the grace of God.  No matter how much we are pushed, beaten down, run over and trodden upon, we keep coming back standing strong. Not even something as horrible as the Coronavirus can silence or defeat the message we preach, teach, and live.  In fact, the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is available to us, daily, every minute, every hour. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57) 
  
       Pastors, called workers, lay leaders, people of God, stand strong, confident and unconquerable!  And when you see a dandelion, remember He IS risen, and we are His people.