Herbs were vitally important in Ezekiel’s time with so many uses, especially for healing. He paints a word picture of the river of life, flowing from the throne of God, lined with trees which are nourished by that river. Consider this picture for a moment – a picture of lush green, of trees alive and ready to produce leaves which bring a blessing and which will bring healing.
I love herbs. I love that they grow so easily, they are so forgiving and keep giving even when neglected. It’s a wonderful thought that God has paid so much attention to His Creation that he created a special role for such humble plants. So let’s consider herbs – mint, thyme, parsley, sage, fennel…all the herbs we use in cooking to give variety and extra taste. But herbs do more – they can bring healing. Lavender helps us relax, as well as delighting the eye; feverfew can relieve our pain; loveage is a natural help to cheer us up; mint and lemon balm produce a soothing, relaxing tea and so on. Our Father has given us such a variety of plants to heal us in body, mind and spirit, to appeal and stimulate our sense of beauty and to help us cope with life around us. Consider; look, smell, touch and taste – all our senses are involved are involved when we consider herbs, even sound as bees throng round the lavender and blue hyssop in full bloom.
We have some big, brilliant plants in our garden. They have an important role to play. But the herbs are plants we couldn’t do without. Like the plants in a garden we all have a role to play in God’s creation: we all have our talents and our uses even if we struggle to recognise what they are or even if we feel that we are overlooked. I wouldn’t be without my roses – but I couldn’t manage without my thyme and rosemary either.
Prayer: Father, thank you that you know me so well. Thank you that you value me and have a use for me and for everyone in your garden. Show me how I can serve you and use my talents and skills to help build and support your family and, reaching beyond that, to bring others to hear about your Kingdom. As I rejoice at the attention you pay me and the value you place on me, may I always be ready to give consideration to the needs of others and be a plant which bears the leaves of healing. Amen