Psalm 150:1-2 – Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! (NRSV)

On a spring day recently, my husband and I drove through a part of God's great sanctuary. The roadsides were white with the blooms of the Zephyranthes atamasco lily.

The early settlers to this area called it the wild Easter lily. It can be found in the south-eastern part of the United States from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas. It has a pure white bloom, and the plant ranges in height from eight to fifteen inches. It blooms in the early spring from March till May.

The pure white blossom of the Easter lily has always stood as a symbol of purity, virtue, innocence, hope, and life — the spiritual essence of our Easter season and the resurrection of Christ.

As we rode along on this beautiful day in 2009, my thoughts strayed to others who had enjoyed the beauty of this wild plant growing in God's sanctuary. Scientists and archaeologists tell us dinosaurs once roamed this area. Native Americans lived here, before the early settlers came and named the "wild Easter lily". Were they inspired in thought to praise the Creator of this beauty?

Whatever thoughts the beauty of the lily brings to mind, the fact remains: it gives a lift to a spring day, and joy and hope for a new life and a new season. As a symbol of purity, it lifts one's thoughts to a Creator God, who created man, the earth, the lily, and the firmament, and who is still in charge of His world today.

Prayer: Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, the past, the present and the future, we praise You for Your mighty deeds and greatness and for Your love that reaches out to all Your creation. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author: