When I was in elementary school, each grade from kindergarten to the fourth grade was required to participate in the school play. I do not remember much about them, but I do remember that I asked the music teacher Ms. Bowen if I could play the part of Mrs. Claus.

She did not agree with my request. To my sore displeasureI was assigned the part of an elf. Another memory I have is of kindergarten or the first grade when we sang the song “Each of Us is a Flower.” The message of the song is that every person is like a flower growing and maturing in life’s garden. For growth to happen we all need nutrients such as sunlight, rain, and the cool of the moon to provide rest in the night. It’s ironic that in spite of the fact that so many people today want to deny the existence of God, His presence remains all the same.

C.S. Lewis said, “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.” Just like a story cannot be without a storyteller. A garden cannot be without a gardener and the Gardener of our lives is the Lord. No one else can provide the warm rays of the sun, the gentle refreshing rain, or the cooling effects of the moon.

The garden is not an accident nor a happenstance calculation over “millions” and “billions” of years. God intelligently designed this world with purpose and that means that you and I have a purpose and destiny to fulfill. For the garden to understand itself it must know the gardener. Likewise, humanity will never truly know itself if it does not pursue to know the Creator and live in concert with his will.

Why is it that so many people fight anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts? One reason is because humanity’s heart only has room for one on its throne, and if the Lord does not occupy that spot something more devious and cynical will.

Dear flowers, you are not enough on your own. You are not perfect. You do not need a self-help book. You do not need validation on online platforms or from untruthful friends. You cannot govern your own life. You need to submit to the Creator and Master Gardener. He is more than enough. He is perfect. He is loving and merciful. He is our salvation, our strong tower, and our deliverer. God intends for your life to have purpose, joy, and peace. Let His Word guide you, bask underneath his cooling shower, hide in the shadow of the Almighty, and may you bring forth fruit in your season.