As I walked, I glanced to the empty lot. Dirt and rocks, grass and weeds.
I became alert to the lyrics playing in my headphones,
“in the soil I now surrender, you are breaking new ground”
Then something caught my eye. Color in the middle of the dirt and mess. One solitary poppy, standing straight and tall, like an oasis in the midst of the desert.
The poppy, a symbol of peace, sleep, death. Growing in the midst of land in between what was and what will be.
I’ve walked that in between place, that liminal space. Knowing that what was is gone, what is to come is not yet announced itself.
I feel that with vaccines we are all planted in the dirt between what was and what will be. What is our new normal? Will it resemble our old normal? Do we want it to?
That beautiful flower, standing tall in a vacant place … reminding that life comes from death, that beauty can grow out of dirt and weeds, out of nothing.
“Break new ground. Plant righteousness, and harvest the fruit that your loyalty will produce for me.” It’s time to seek the LORD! When he comes, he will rain righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12
surrender
new ground
We are required to surrender our today, to enjoy the fruit of the time to come. Though we humans are usually people of action, this is not a requirement through any effort, other than surrender. I love the Oxford dictionary definition of surrender, “cease resistance … and submit to their authority.” We people aren’t so fond of submitting either! Yet, that is the surrender that God requires. It is what can carry us from what is gone to what is to come.
Through the dancing poppies stole
A breeze, most softly lulling to my soul.
John Keats
itsawonderfilledlife 