Strive To Be Like The Lotus Flower

Matthew 5:8 (New International Version)

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Background

During a prayer session, youth were asked to wait upon the Lord to see if he had anything to say.  He showed me a picture of a small pink lotus flower, but I dismissed the image, thinking it trivial.  One of the youth, a quieter boy, piped up and said he saw a small, pink lotus flower.  When the youth leader asked if anyone had the interpretation of this image, one student offered to look it up on the internet.  The following information was found.

What makes the lotus flower so special?

The lotus flower starts as a small flower at the bottom of a pond, in the muck and grime. It slowly grows up towards the water’s surface, continually moving towards the light. Once it comes to the surface of the water, the lotus flower blossoms into a beautiful flower.  At night the flower closes and sinks underwater.  At dawn it rises and opens again. Untouched by the impurity, the lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind.

Significance

Like the lotus flower, we are all called to keep our hearts pure so that we may see God in these dark and murky times.  While we may take time to be in God’s presence, our ascension into the light of day, we will, until we die, eventually submerge into the grime of the world again.  I believe that these images, given at a youth group prayer session, were a picture of God’s heart for us in these times.  God desires purity in us; it’s what He finds attractive.  When we are attractive to anyone, they will want to spend time with us.  I think in some respects it is like us with God. 

If you do your research, you will find that the lotus flower has some deep spiritual meanings for many different religions, especially Buddhism and Hinduism.  No wonder so many people over the ages were attracted to the powerful symbolism in this beautiful little flower!  It is a very basic depiction of the desires of God’s heart for us, to rise again as a beautiful flower, the very essence of who we are in Him.  That part of us that humans call their conscience, the part that cries out for God, sees this beautiful depiction, and across the board, we have desired to be like this small flower, yearned for the completion in Christ.

I believe the message that God wanted to give to us during that session, and wants to portray now, is to look at this image and take heart.  To be encouraged and to strive for purity.  I believe the message that God wanted to portray to us is simply this: strive to be like the lotus flower.