Surprise lilies have always been a favorite of mine. Their long slender stems and beautiful pink blooms spring up out of nowhere.  Surprise! 

They're also known as resurrection lilies. The comparison is appropriate. The leaves of the plant grow out in the spring and then die back in June, no longer there as summer warms up. At that point its life cycle appears to be over. Weeks later with the overnight spouting of blooms the plant is resurrected, defying what’s usually the hottest part of the year!

Surprise lilies are a striking reminder of God’s resurrection power! 

“God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace! And God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 2:4-6, CEB)

Now, more than ever, God’s resurrection power is needed. But I wonder how often we’re too focused on what’s no longer there in our lives and miss God’s resurrection surprise. My hope is that this summer’s surprise lilies are a reminder to stay on our toes!

Your partner on the journey,

Pastor Steve