June 22, 2023

Lesson from a Sunflower - Lorrie Orr

 




How I love summer light. Now in June, days stretch long into the evening. The light fills me with energy and happiness. Spending time in my garden is utter delight whether I'm weeding, clipping, picking, or just standing in admiration of God's wonders. I often plant a few sunflowers to add cheeriness to the garden and observe how they reach to follow the light of the sun.

The word follow has taken on new meaning during this age of social media. We follow people on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook as we discover common interests or thought-provoking content. What does following someone really mean? Is it being in the vicinity of this person? Is it acceding to a certain viewpoint?

In John 1 Jesus calls the disciples to follow him. What does following someone mean? Is it being in the vicinity of this person? Is it acceding to a certain viewpoint? Is it acknowledging who Jesus is? Even the demons do that.

A sunflower bends and turns throughout the day to follow the sun. It continually redirects itself to face the light from which it draws energy, leaning towards its life source. We who follow Jesus can learn to redirect ourselves throughout the day in order to grow and flourish. Let's learn from the sunflower and follow the Light!



Lorrie Orr writes from Vancouver Island where she enjoys boating and hiking with her husband. Gardening, sewing, reading, and spending time with her five grandchildren fill her days with happiness and contentment. There is also the writing that always occupies a corner of her brain.




13 comments:

  1. Lovely post, dear Lorrie. I planted sunflowers this year too. They'll serve well to remind me to "follow the Light," thanks to your words here. :)
    Blessings.

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    1. Thank you, Wendy. Follow like a sunflower!

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  2. Anonymous8:59 am GMT-7

    Thank you for sharing this sunflower metaphor, Lorrie. I love them too! Where I live on the prairies they grow in vast fields, so bright and cheerful. This sentence is my favorite, " We who follow Jesus can learn to redirect ourselves throughout the day in order to grow and flourish." When we turn toward the Son, we can grow like Him. Blessings!

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    1. Don't know why I'm Anonymous in my comment above!

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    2. I love seeing those vast fields of bright sunflowers when I visit the prairies. Follow Jesus like a sunflower follows the sun!

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  3. A wonderful post, Lorrie. The last paragraph hit a chord with me, especially the line where the sunflower “continually redirects itself to face the light from which it draws energy, leaning towards its life source.” ‘It redirects itself’ repeated in my brain. Our conscious choice. Thanks for the lesson and the inspiration. I think I may put up a card near my kitchen sink - Are you turned towards His light today? - with acknowledgement to you. Blessings on your day on the Island where it seems everything grows like crazy!

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    1. Things are growing like crazy this year. We've had such good weather! Continual redirection is the way to succeed in following Jesus, I think.

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  4. Sunflowers are a wonderful example of "following". Thanks for this post.

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  5. What a beautiful metaphor, Lorrie! I like how you compared us to the sunflower,, drawing our life force and energy from the SonLight.

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    1. Thank you, Sandi. Without God's Light we are dark creatures.

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  6. Loved your post, Lorrie. Interesting thoughts about what following someone can mean in this age of social media. I'm with you, I want to follow the Light of the World. Thank you!

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  7. Love this encouraging post, and especially these particular words: "It continually redirects itself to face the light from which it draws energy, leaning towards its life source."
    Redirect will become a new watchword with me.
    Thanks, Lorrie.

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