Beyond Imagination

“Whoever has the Son, has life."  ~ 1 John 5:12

The gift was simple . . . tiny actually . . . but the promise it held was larger than life!  What made it so special was that it came from Leeza’s grandmother.  Gram had wrapped it in a beautiful scrap of red silk and given it to eight-year-old Leeza just before her “trip to heaven.”

Leeza had rushed to open it, but when only a tiny black seed fell out, curiosity gripped her.  What could this small black seed promise “beyond imagination,” she wondered?  Now two weeks after Gram had left on her “journey to Jesus,” Leeza clung to that promise.  What had Gram been thinking?  Choking back her disappointment, Leeza had hoped for one of Gram’s Hummel figurines instead.  

She found an old clay pot behind the shed and filled it with fresh spring soil.  Placing the seed deep into the dirt, she thought of Gram.  Oh how she missed her!  Tears of gratitude spilled from her cheeks, gently watering the seed’s new home.

She remembered Gram’s smile, the fun they had baking cookies together, playing Scrabble, ‘flying’ on the swing at the park.  Gram always made time for her; they shared every milestone.  Her love was endless, her hugs divine.  God used those last few days with her to bring everyone joy, knowing He had a special place reserved for her.   

As the days and weeks passed, Leeza cared for the seed.  She placed the pot in a sunny spot, watered it, and waited.  Soon a tiny plant poked its head above the soil and drank in the rays of sunlight, growing taller and stronger with each day.  Eventually it bloomed into a beautiful red poppy – just like the ones Gram had grown in her garden!

Waking up near her little flower every morning was like hearing Gram say, “I love you!”  But one morning, the poppy began to wilt and hang its head.  Leeza watered it more and moved it to a sunnier spot.  Despite her best efforts, the little poppy shriveled and died.  Leeza couldn’t bear to part with it, but there on her window sill, it brought back thoughts of Gram’s illness and death.  Regretfully, Leeza decided to discard the remains of her ‘little friend.’  As she did though, tiny specks began to fall  . . . tiny black seeds!

She smiled; it all made perfect sense now.    Gram’s real gift was a lesson about life, a lesson wrapped in the red scarf of Christ’s love.  The seed of our life continues to live even after death and leaves even more seeds behind for planting in the hearts of others.  Truly this Easter, He is the gift “beyond imagination.”

Lord Jesus, just like a flower, our earthly bodies will shrivel and die, but because of the gift of your Son, life continues.  The seeds we plant in this life will remain - seeds of memories, seeds of love, seeds of inspiration which hold eternal life.  Amen