Isaiah 39:1-41:16 So many in this life are looking for something to hang their hats on—a solid something, an unmovable something, something that they can count on that will never change and will always be. This passage in Isaiah tells us that the Word of God shall stand forever. The Word of God spans time and eternity and gives us something that is established and unshakable to hold on to through this life. Everything we see now on this earth will one day be ashes. Isaiah tells us, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isa. 40:8).
My husband loves to give me flowers for no reason at all. It is his way of saying “I love and appreciate you.” The moment I receive flowers, I cut their stems while they are in water, and I add a packet of preservative to the water so the flowers will last a little longer. Soon, however, the vibrant colors begin to fade; the leaves begin to shrivel, and if left too long, they begin to rot. Nothing smells worse than water that contains rotting flowers. God has given us a bouquet of flowers, however, with infinite variety that will never fade or decay. This bouquet is the Word of God that lasts forever. Flowers are given to people to congratulate them, to celebrate a special occasion, to applaud them, or just to say “I love you.” I will always remember the lovely flower arrangements sent to us when my mother passed away. These gifts of flowers were expressions of the love people had for my mother.
In Russia we noticed that all during the performance of the singers at this musical festival we attended, people walked down the aisle and placed flowers on the stage. This was their way of applauding the individuals who were performing. God is daily placing a bouquet of flowers especially for us on the stage of our life because He applauds us. He wants our lives to have the smell of freshness that newly cut flowers have, and He wants our lives to always be brilliant with the light of His glory. This bouquet is the Word of God, and we cannot smell the freshness of it each day if we fail to pick His Word up and read it. We have to remember also that it is not the Word itself that has power. It is God, His Holy Spirit and the living Word Jesus (the Holy Trinity) that give the written Word the power to renew and transform our lives.
God is pleased with us, and He loves and adores us. Today He has placed a bouquet on the stage of our lives. Pick it up, and when you do, if you listen carefully, you may hear God’s applause and the applause of the angels. During the Russian musical festival, I never saw a performer leave their flowers on the stage. They always picked them up and took them with them as they left the stage. When we leave the stage of this life, we also can take God’s bouquet (His Word) with us into eternity. Have you smelled His fresh bouquet to you today? Have you read the card He placed on it? The card says, “To You with Love.”
READ: Isaiah 39:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:26-28
Bill Wiese 
Paul McGuire 
