From the winters of our lives God often brings surprises. God’s miracles are often found when we least expect them, because some roses bloom in December.
Some Roses Bloom in December
by
Rebecca Barlow Jordan
The cold of December descends and fastens icy tentacles around our hearts,
our highways, and our homes, causing chaos;
yet the pristine beauty of Heaven’s wonder amazes us each year.
A marriage relationship in crisis threatens our future;
yet God restores and deepens the intimacy greater than before–
with Him and with each other.
A career ends in the prime of our lives;
yet God opens a new, unexpected door or provides in an entirely different way.
An unexpected illness, tragedy, or physical limitation leaves discouragement
and despair, until God brings others to us who need comforting and encouragement.
Some roses bloom in December.
Springtime doesn’t last forever–not in our nature’s seasons and not in our lives.
But sometimes we wish it could.
Yet in some places, and at some unexplained times,
roses still bloom in December.
You may not see them today, but God will reveal them in His own time, in His own way–
even when the dead of winter wants to steal our joy.
I found them in my yard today.
And I can trace them in my life over the past decades:
miraculous, heaven-sent, God-things that rarely make sense.
And if we watch for them, we’ll find them–all year long–
like flecks of gold from an Alaskan earth mine,
where the fingerprints of God have touched our lives
and whispered, “I’m still in control. Trust me, even in the cold.”
They’re undeserved, these colorful prizes called blessings and surprises,
these fragrant, hidden gifts from God’s own hand.
Watch for them–
Because some roses still bloom in December.
He’s famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to his surprises (Job 5:9, MSG).
We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can’t be counted (Job 9:10, MSG).
And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans (Romans 8:28, TLB).
When have you experienced roses blooming in December? How has God surprised you?
