There’s no doubt about it—there are few scenes more breathtaking than a field full of wildflowers. No, not even a king attired in his royal robes can compare with it! As the sixth chapter of Matthew attests: “See how the lilies of the field grow… not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”
Isaiah 40 compares such magnificent beauty to the glory of man: “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field…”
We have witnessed such glory in the recent Olympiad. Just as it takes the right amount of winter rains to coax intensity of color in wild blooms, Olympic gold also requires a high degree of training from each aspiring athlete.
Yet the wildflower season lasts about three months at best. “The grass withers and the flowers fall…” (Isaiah 40:8a). Despite the years of sacrifice and relentless training, each Olympian will have few opportunities to compete at the games, let alone stand on the podium. Although their glory is world-renowned, the inevitable day will come when they will no longer be able to defend their title.
The wild grass and flowers that come up in the springtime may fade and fail when the weather gets hot, “…but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8b). Such is the glory of God—it will never pass away! “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
Photograph by Frank Kee