raised from the dead . . .

it's no secret that i love daisies.
and i especially love this banner . . .
look at it carefully.  what's unusual about it?
reading the picture from left to right (as we do in this part of the world)
it's backwards
inverted
paradoxical.
it starts with a wilted, almost dead daisy . . .
progresses to one that is recovering . . .
and finally
becomes a perfect daisy in full, healthy bloom.
it was a dead daisy that came to life.
i think that it must be a christian daisy.
it is a picture of our christian walk.
we must die before we live.
only when we are dead to ourselves . . .
only when we have come to the end of ourselves . . .
our ideals
our plans
our self-worth
our lusts
our worldliness
our self-dependence
(the list could go on and on . . .)
only when we wake up and realize the dead state we've allowed ourselves to slump into
do we see our need for revival.
only then are we ready to be raised from the dead.
then we become Potter's dust
and He gives us beauty for ashes.