Is there anything more beautiful than a stunning red rose? My husband brought me a bouquet of roses just the other day. Suddenly, all my Christmas decorations paled in comparison! There are few things that we can find in a store that are lovelier than what we find in nature. That is why we are so delighted when we come upon a field of bluebonnets in the spring, or the first crocus after a long winter.
My roses will fade. However beautiful, their lovely heads will droop, and their deep red petals will fall. I must enjoy them for a brief duration.
One of my favorite carols to sing at Christmastime is, ‘Lo, E’er a Rose is Blooming’, a fifteenth century German hymn that dates back to 1599. It has undergone changes since the first rendition, and you might be interested in reading about how the current verses came to be. All I can say is that this song brings tears to my eyes, each and every Christmas.
It reminds me of how deeply we are loved by God. And although there are many ‘thorns’ in life, there is also hope and joy. God gave the perfect gift at Christmas. He gave His only son as a sacrifice for our sins. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, bore our sins upon the cross, and in His passion, He wore a crown of thorns on our behalf. Because of that sacrifice, we are washed clean, like the new-fallen snow.
Deep within our souls, a rose does bloom, a rose that Christ gave life to. This rose cannot be plucked away. It will not fade. It will not wither. It will not die. It will bloom forevermore, radiant, and pure. It is God’s divine love made manifest within us.
At Christmas, love has the last word. Because of Christ, the darkness is shattered, and there is only ‘endless day’. (Last stanza, Lo, E’er A Rose is Blooming’) As the Irish hymn, ‘Gartan’, reminds us: “Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine: love was born at Christmas, star and angels gave the sign.”
Song of Solomon: “I am the Rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”
Isaiah 11:10: “There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious.”
Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Luke 2:9-11: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all of the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born; He is the Messiah, the Lord.
Amen. (I’ve decided I like mixed bouquets because they don’t all give up at the same time.)
You are right! I do everything to take care of them. I clip the stems and change the water. The mixed blooms are always nice. The apricot-colored roses are my favorite.
Beautiful post Linda. Hope your Holidays are blessed.
Thank you! I wish you blessings as well!
Thank you for this uplifting reflection to brighten my gray December morning.
It is a gray December day!!! I am bundled up in a warm sweater today. On days like this, I drink a lot of tea and coffee! 🙂
I, too, am bundled into a warm sweater today with hot beverages at the ready!
🙂 🙂 🙂
A marvelous reflection for the Christmas season. I love that carol “Lo….” and will be singing it today. You remind me that we must be ever present in the moment. As Meister Eckhart once wrote:
“The most important hour is always the present.
The most significant person is precisely the one sitting across from you right now.
The most necessary work is always love.”
My hope that in 2023, you will consider reading your reflections. Would love to hear your voice.
I so agree that the most important work is love! I also agree that the present hour is so very precious. If we honor the present hour and do our very best, then there is little room for regrets. Your podcasts are inspiring and your readings so uplifting. You are an inspiration, and I will think about that! 🙂
What a thoughtful husband, glad he brought so much joy! Your faith is very deep Linda, you use the term ‘rose’ as I use the term kindness … we all have a limitless well within 🙂
I do love flowers! I do not have a favorite kind. There are too many to choose from! It will soon be winter here and already the trees are mostly bare. It is time now for the evergreens to shine. Still, the winter woods are quite beautiful. God is good in all the seasons! 🙂
My wife sees roses that way as well. Great thoughts Linda, Especially God’s love like a rose that will never fade. may we be seen as people who love others like that.
Yes! God’s love is always with us. God is the author of love, and He has taught us well. May those lessons keep us mindful in our day to day lives. The world has many thorns, but the petals of love are greater than any thorn. Wishing you and your wife and family blessings this Christmas season!
I love that hymn, but I love your interpretation of it even more! Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas, Linda!!!
There are so many beautiful hymns! I wish you blessings at Christmas also! 🙂
Lovely post Linda, roses are beautiful. I love different coloured roses. Have a beautiful Christmas x
Thank you! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas as well! 🙂 I wish you many blessings ‘across the pond’ from my house to your house…
Just like a rose this post was beautiful and fragrant with the Word, Linda. Thank you for introducing me to a new carol. I was able to find an acoustic performance on youtube thus enjoying the words and tune.
It is a beautiful carol! I hope you are enjoying this Advent season. These weeks pass so quickly…I hope you find quiet moments for reflection in the midst of it all. Music is such a blessing…where would we be without it? Hymns are prayers set to music and it is a wonderful thing!
Thank you Linda. A friend gifted me a beautiful advent book called “Hosanna in Excelsis” which has a hymn for each day of advent along with its history and a devotional thought.
Your friend gave you a wonderful gift! 🙂 Wishing you blessings each and every day!
I believe in love and nature. A thoughtful gesture from your husband, and a lovely pop of color in the winter dreariness. 🌹
It has been dreary with this string of rainy days! We do need some ‘pops’ of color. But winter gives way to spring and the natural world has its own beauty in every season. (I so enjoy your photographs of nature, winter, summer, spring, and fall.) 🙂
Thank you and you’re welcome! 😊
Linda, you made my heart sing today. Your post fits a theme God is knitting in my end-of-year days – expect spring even in winter. But in your case, with that lovely gift from your husband, it’s the gift of summer in winter. Reading this post, I hear God speaking clearly. The unexpected spring/summer in winter may not always materialise in a grandness bright and bold like your lovely roses. Rather, they may slip into our hours like little bubbles, gently and softly, easily missed. I don’t want to miss any, Linda, so I’m going to sing at the slightest sighting of spring in the cold of December.
That is a very beautiful thought…springtime bubbles can come at any time of the year! I don’t know why, but your comment made me think of Frank Sinatra’s song, “Young at Heart”. Springtime can be a state of mind; we have to work at it! 🙂 There is another song by Sinatra that is very nice as well. It is a love song, “Younger than Springtime”. You are absolutely right…’we must sing at even the slightest sighting of spring in the deep of winter’.
Nice post! And may you enjoy the coming year filled with peace, hope and joy!
Wishing you a blessed Christmas season and all good things in the New Year!
For some unknown reason I missed your lovely post on day it was posted but just now found it! The truth and beauty you share are very much appreciated, and they resonate deeply. I will now go find the carol….
It is a very special song! It is a carol that is often sung by candlelight on Christmas Eve; it fills the church with such incredible beauty and peace. Sometimes, I go through the hymnal I was given at my Confirmation. I read through the hymns and some lines really stand out. So many hymns are like beautifully written prayers; they are very comforting and uplifting.
It really is a beautiful hymn, and I recognized the melody but never knew the lyrics. Thank you.
You are welcome! 🙂
Wow, you got roses?! What a lovely gesture from your hubby! I can’t remember – really! – the last time I received flowers. Hoping the beauty from your bouquet is a precursor for the beauty to follow in your holidays, Linda. 🌞
I do wish you a beautiful Christmas!!! It is almost here! The last week before Christmas always goes by so quickly. 🙂
Agreed! 🌞
Linda wishing you and yours a spiritual Christmas and all the best for 2023 … may it bring good health and happiness 🙂
Thank you! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a New Year full of blessings. 🙂
I too love that carol. You’ve inspired me, Linda, to study the text more carefully!
Happy New Year! I hope you had a good holiday season! We are enjoying some warm weather days here in Virginia. I know it can change quite quickly!!! 🙂 I hope that 2023 is off to a great start for you.