My gardens are a bit on the wild side, solely dedicated to providing Monarch caterpillars and butterflies varieties of milkweed; and beautiful Zinnias and Tithonia plants as nectar sources for countless pollinators.  Having the space to have gardens (and the ability and the time to care for them) are all things I am thankful for.  I find God’s creative process splendid to witness… from the smallest seed to the mature plant.  

One day earlier this summer while mowing, I noticed a few rogue Tithonia plants growing in the grass within my 75-pound dog’s section of the yard (named Bonnja).  I carefully mowed around the baby plants, and marveled at how they rooted outside my planned garden space.  I wondered if they would reach the heights of my other Tithonia plants, which can grow as high as 8 feet tall.  I also wondered if they would survive, noting the possibility of being doomed, located as they were within Bonnja’s outdoor real estate.  

To my great delight, Bonnja avoided treading on the plants for weeks, and they grew to be about 3 feet tall with beautiful blooms.  Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds enjoyed the nectar from the fluorescent orange flowers.  I felt justified in my decision to leave them where they originally rooted, rather than relocating them to a safer space in the garden.

Soon after, in chase of a rabbit nearby, my dog mowed down the plants with her massive paws.  The Tithonia plants were flattened in seconds, broken at the base of the stems.  I was honestly quite sad.  How could I have left them in a vulnerable area of the yard?  Why did I think they would have survived there?

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In the Bible we read of Joseph, son of Jacob (Genesis 37) who was only 17 years old when his jealous brothers plotted to kill him. His father asked Joseph to go out to the fields to see how his brothers were doing. When he arrived, they tore off the beautiful robe given to him by their father (favoritism fueled their hate and jealousy), threw him into a dry cistern underground, and then proceeded to share a meal together as their brother likely struggled to escape the pit.  They actually wanted to kill him, but Reuben (one of the 12 brothers) convinced them to throw him into the pit instead, hoping to rescue him later.  

Pausing for a moment to reflect on Joseph: can you imagine checking on your family and receiving hatred in return?  I can only imagine the physical pain of being thrown into a pit by murderous men, but can also imagine the emotional pain of unjustified hatred… from family… the people who were supposed to love him unconditionally.  What feelings may have gone through him as he heard them enjoying a meal together as he struggled alone?  Perhaps hopelessness, helplessness?

Midianites would soon arrive, giving Joseph’s brothers an idea to get rid of him without killing him.  They sold him into slavery, and tricked their father using the very coat he’d given Joseph with a false tale of death by animal attack.  Joseph’s freedom was stolen, in return for about 8 ounces of silver.

Snuffed out but not Forgotten

Genesis 39:2-3 shows that the Lord was with Joseph.  His Egyptian master Potiphar saw that the Lord was with him and blessed everything he did.  In fact, God blessed Potiphar and his household because Joseph was Potiphar’s slave!  Joseph enjoyed peace and success (as much as he could as a slave), but was soon in prison due to false allegations from Potiphar’s wife.  Once again, his freedom was unjustly hijacked as he was thrown into prison.

Trampled on but not Destroyed

Genesis 39:21 says, “the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.”  A few verses later, we learn that the warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, “because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23).”  The next chapter shows Joseph giving honor to God as the only interpreter of dreams to fellow prisoners, and through God, Joseph rightly translated their dreams, foretelling their futures.  He remained in prison for 2 more years (Genesis 41), when again, he gave God the glory for interpreting dreams, only this time he assisted Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt.  

After interpreting Pharoah’s dreams depicting years of abundance and famine,  “Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you (Genesis 41:38-40).”

Rooted, Grounded in the Lord

Through all the gritty circumstances Joseph faced, we see that he remained rooted in the Lord.  God was with him, in every circumstance.  

This means that God was with him:

• In the pit.  
• As his brothers bargained with the slave owners. 
• On the journey to Egypt.  
• When Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him.  
• When he was behind bars in prison.  

    This means that God blessed him:

• In the prison by giving him the warden’s trust.  
• While interpreting dreams through God’s own power.  
• By giving him great honor and prestige in Egypt.
• By placing Joseph in the time and place to save the very family who had hurt him, had forsaken him.

God blessed Joseph beyond the norm, as witnessed and verbalized by both Potiphar and Pharaoh.  They could see God was with Joseph. 

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My crushed Tithonia reminded me of the story of Joseph when I observed them weeks after being crushed by my dog, because something exceptional happened.  I started to notice fluorescent orange blooms on the flattened plants!  The plants were somehow still rooted, even with broken stems.  Then, the stems and flowers lifted and turned their faces up toward the sun.  Still, they’re blooming.  They look different than the un-trampled Tithonia, but they are still thriving… just in a different way. 

I love plants.  I love the Maker of the plants, and the lessons God teaches through observing His creation… reminding me that we may find ourselves snuffed out,  but not forgotten.  Trampled on, but not destroyed.   

Just as Joseph continued to thrive: we may at times feel broken by circumstances and yet continue to bloom… being rooted and grounded in our God.