“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they simply are!
Think of the sea,
the air,
the sun,
the stars and the moon—all these things are, and what a ministration they exert.
So often we mar God’s designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful.
Jesus says there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God. ‘Do not worry about being of use to others; believe on Me’—pay attention to the Source, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense, and Jesus is teaching that growth in spiritual life does not depend on our watching it, but on concentration on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows the circumstances we are in, and if we keep concentrated on Him we will grow spiritually as the lilies.
The people who influence us most are not those who buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their lives like the stars in heaven and the lilies in the field, perfectly simply and uneffectedly. Those are the lives that mold us.
If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live.”
~Oswald Chambers
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which if you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:25-29)
“Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:32b, 33)
(I should not worry about my spiritual life or my neighbor’s spiritual life, either! God knows our soul needs and knows the way He will lead us. He will supply our spiritual food and drink as well as our body’s food and drink. If I seek first His kingdom and righteousness, all of our soul needs will be supplied!)
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:20, 21
Consider the graceful fern in the woods, with the sunlight shining on it
Consider the flowers by the lake, so beautiful and lovely. They simply are.
Consider the bright flower in a field, with a butterfly resting upon it. Our Father made these things!
For His glory!
And that is why He made you and I.
For His glory!
Just be yourself. In Christ. Rest in Him. Trust in Him.
Good to be Home 
I know you’re being serious here, but I am smiling!! I’m laughing to myself thinking of how desperate I was last night for something sweet!!!
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.”
Dave brought me home some ice cream after work… 🙂
What a perfectly wonderful post! Oh how I adore your photography, the picture of the forget me nots just absolutely melted me! Thank you for such a delightful post.
“He will supply our spiritual food and drink as well as our body’s food and drink. If I seek first His kingdom and righteousness, all of our soul needs will be supplied!” ~ this, Shanda, I needed this morning ~ thank you! ~
Lovely post, Shanda. Nothing like the Word.
This was such a timely post and the pictures, as always, were beautiful!
Beautiful words to a beautiful post. This reminded me to let Christ reign in me…not someone else. We are all uniquely made for His glory.
Thanks for this.
I LOVE this post, Shanda. Thank you SO much for writing it.
I have never seen such beautiful clouds before!!!!!!!
I love this also! Thank you for sharing this!
Beautiful!!
This is just beautiful! Thank you for sharing this. I needed to read this. I try so hard to BE, that I forget to REST in HIM. He is my strength- I have none of my own.
So very true. Lovely.
Wow, beautiful pictures! Did you take them? I have also been pondering these same things.
Beautfiul thoughts, words, photo’s and portions of scripture! Thank you!
Oh, I love the last picture.
Did you take that glorious sunrise picture? That is seriously amazing.
~C
Like springs of living water…..thank you..
love the oswald chambers excerpt.. good stuff.
The kind of pictures and encouragement found in this post are why I was so attracted to your site in the first place! Thank you for sharing, Shanda!
Your words are so true and your pictures so lovely…How much more lovely my beloved must be…yea more lovely than the lilies. -KathrynSong of Solomon 2:16My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
The photos matched so well with this Shanda! The O. Chambers quote is beautiful especially that last lines!