I was headed down the back deck steps with the watering can, to take some water over to the raspberries … when the gladiolus caught my eye! The sun was coming up right behind it, and the gladiolus blooms were just about ready to open!
The verse immediately popped into my mind: “ … the glory that is to be revealed … as we wait for the glorious appearing of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ!”
The sun coming up in all its glory and brilliance always makes me think of Jesus Christ coming back to earth again, in all his glory and brilliance!
And the gladiolus blooms just about to open up made me think of us. Those who love and follow Jesus Christ are like gladiolus blooms in this stage where they are just about to open up. The blooms are going to be beautiful and amazing! But they are not unfurled yet. Their glory isn’t revealed yet.
When I finished the watering and came inside, I looked up the verse. It’s actually two different verses.
The first part is from Romans 8:18 – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
The second part is from Titus 2:14 –
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” – Titus 2:11-14
We each are like these gladiolus blooms. They are almost unfurled … but not quite yet. Their beauty is not quite fully revealed yet. And just like the sun in the background is coming up in all its glory and brilliance … so too Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth! … in all glory and brilliance and power!
And when he does, the beauty that is to be revealed in us by his work in our life will be fully unfurled!
