Prophecy is like sunflowers – inviting and beautiful and fruitful.
I saw this sunflower near Dublin. And was immediately drawn to it. It was inviting. Not just for me, but other passerbys and the insects that will take its pollen to make honey. If it wasn’t taller than me, I would have touched it. Being life to someone is like that really – inviting. You can’t help but want to be around it. You want to touch it and smell it, so as to not miss any part of it. And it is fruitful. Just as the bee takes the invitation from the flower, if we take the invitation from life givers – our words and our actions will be as sweet and as thick as honey. I have long asked for God to make me a lifegiver. Someone who gives life to others – wether by actions or deeds or words. I want others to be drawn to me becase of the life that Jesus has given to me, the redemption only He can supply. And just recently I realized that there is a spiritual gift that encompasses that – prohesy. In my mind, I made prohesy to be this crazy thing for people to sort of “tell the future.” And I didn’t really want any part of that. It seems phony. But I Corinthians 14: 3 explains that “the one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” In other words, speaks life over others. It is not telling the future but giving life. I Corinthians 14:1 says to “pursue love, desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” And so, I shall earnestly desire prophesy. We have had some practice at training and I can think of no better thing to desire. I can give life to people with my words and with truth, but that only goes so far. But to speak the words of Christ over someone. To look someone in the eye and speak Love into their being – that is inviting, fruitful, and amazing. It is edifying, exhorting, and consoling. It empowers others to be all of who God has created them to be. Oh, yes! I want in on that. Seeing others potential and calling it out of them. That is lifegiving at it’s finest. Even more lovely than a sunflower reflecting the sun against a brilliant blue sky!
