19th entry - Poinsettia and Christmas

Except for the fact that the flower's color is deep red and its leaves are dark green, and both these colors are usually associated with Christmas, poinsettia has never held any special meaning for me. I think some people in my part of the world do not even know the name of this flower, much less that it has great significance for Christians. A good sister from church sent me the following article on this flower, which I would like to share with everyone reading this Blog.

For further info on this fascinating flower, please follow these links:

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/

http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/info_verte/poinsettia/floraison.htm

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POINSETTIAS AND CHRISTMAS
By Muriel Larson

Poinsettias, with their beautiful big red bracts, seem to be as much a part of Christmas as Christmas trees are. They decorate many churches during the season. When I was organist at one church, they would usually give me one of their poinsettias after Christmas. I was able to enjoy its beauty in my home for several months thereafter.

Because of their reputation for Christmas decoration, many of us may associate them with the birth of God's Son, Jesus. So let's look at some similarities between poinsettias and our relationship to Jesus Christ.

POINSETTIAS LOVE THE SUN (The sun as the source of life - i.e. the Son of God)
If we truly know the Son of God as our Savior, we should love the Son. Unfortunately, many professing Christians do not seem to love the Savior much at all, do they? During the Christmas season their focus is on shopping, buying gifts, trimming trees, and all the myriad facets of their
daily lives. In fact, if truth be told, the Son of God has little place in their lives or thoughts then or through the whole year, for that matter.

POINSETTIAS NEED MUCH WATER TO GROW PROPERLY (Water is the Word of God)
And Christians need the water of the Word of God to grow properly. Ephesians 5:25 says that "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." So why are so many professing Christians like the Corinthians Paul rebuked? (See 1 Corinthians 3.) Their growth has been stunted because of lack of the water of the Word. For a while after receiving Christ they may have felt joy in Him. But if they haven't gone to church regularly and heard or studied God's Word, and they haven't read it themselves, they have more or less fallen by the wayside. Then they wonder why they are depressed and have so little peace and joy. They have left the source of those when they left the
Giver of them.

POINSETTIAS ARE PROPAGATED BY CUTTINGS (Cuttings are the suffering we experience)
As "Dr. Muriel," an online counselor with TruthMedia, I have received letters from Christians who are suffering in various ways. "Why is God allowing this?" they may ask. According to the Bible, it is for our spiritual good. Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-5, "We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Paul was one of Christ's greatest missionaries. And when we are growing in Christ, we propagate our faith in Christ and His wonderful way of salvation.

SPIRITUAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT
(Some reminders to all believers - a handy checklist to follow in order to keep our lives holy for the God we love)
Do you really love the Son of God who came to earth to give His life because He loved you? Do you walk in His light and live in His amazing peace and joy? Is doing His will in your life more important to you than pursuing your own way? Do you praise Him and talk with Him when you awake in the morning? And do you communicate with Him off and on through your day? Are you drinking in His Word through reading it, hearing it and memorizing it? Do you attend church regularly so that you will continue to grow in the Lord through worship, encouragement, and fellowship? Are you sharing the good news of Christ with others, seeking to win them to
your precious Savior? Regardless of whether we are outgoing or reserved in nature, we can be lights for our Lord in this dark world!