beautiful inspiring story, with reality

Tweet

years ago, i heard a story about a man looking for flowers for spring planting. at the greenhouse he came across a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. to his surprise, it was hidden in a corner and growing in an old, dented rusty bucket. "if this were my flower," he said to himself, "i would place it in a beautiful pot and display it proudly! why is it confined in this old bucket and hidden away in this concealed place?" when he reamrked to the owner about the flower, she explained, "oh, i started the plant in that old bucket until it blossomed. but it's just for a short time. soon i'll transplant it to my garden." the man laughed, and imagined such a scene in heaven. "There's a beautiful one," God will say, "the product of MY loving kindness and grace. now it's confined in a broken body and in obscurity, but soon, in My garden, how tall and lovely this soul will stand!" so we may now be "planted" in bend and batterred conatainers for a short time while our Lord beautifies our souls. but, "as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man" (1 Corinthians 15:49). Then He will display His handiwork and our loveliness for all to see. this is our assurance and delight. ---- David ROper (an excerpt from Our Daily Bread)