The Saviors of the Garden

"We 💓 Aphids!"  proclaimed the bright green bucket with the picture of a smiling ladybug on the side. I sure hoped so! The white rose bush was overrun with hungry green aphids sucking the life from the stems. This little bucket of ladybugs was the last resort- mostly because the nursery was fresh out of pre-fed ladybugs when I visited several days before.

Oh, I'd tried other remedies; a soapy water spray knocked a few bugs off the stems, but it seemed like they crawled right back when my back was turned. I tried knocking the bugs off by hand (Eww!), but the thorny stems made that painful as well. After just a few days, the aphids not only persisted but had increased in number. There was only one thing left to try- I hoped the swarm of ladybugs in the cute little bucket would save the roses.

Evening came, the garden air had cooled. I knew the time was finally right to open the bucket. I misted the rose stems with water, then carefully lifted the lid. Sweet red droplets of Ladybugs flew everywhere. I sprinkled as many as I could near the bottom of the plant as well as the neighboring rose bush which was strangely aphid free. Darkness fell. I went inside and prayed the roses would be saved.

My sister said it wouldn't work; my niece's ladybugs all flew away. I hoped she was wrong. Nothing else had worked! I needed help! My own efforts hadn't changed a thing. These roses hold special meaning for me, I didn't want to lose them to some bugs that were so small one can barely see them. Invisible sinners, those bugs.

As the sun rose the next morning, I hurried to the garden. At first it looked like my sister might be right- the tallest stems still had a fair number of aphids clinging to them. But then I looked at the lower stems. Dozens of ladybugs were hard at work, eating the aphids as they ! All night long they had worked their way up the branches, covering every inch of the bush as they did. Two lower stems were now completely clean. I could see black specks- the remnants of aphid bodies discharged on the leaves, but the stems were clean and free. I was so happy I almost cried! The roses were going to be saved!

By late afternoon, nearly all the aphids were gone. A few ladybugs remained, as if they had stayed behind to protect the flowers. I said a prayer of thanks for a Perfect Creator who knew how to ensure the most beautiful flowers could bloom freely, despite my own feeble efforts.

Three days later, I looked out on the garden and saw the rose buds beginning to open. An hour later their ruffled petals had burst into glorious white blossoms.

I am like this. I am the besieged rose bush, tormented with bugs. I try to rid myself of these things with remedies of my own creation, but only my Savior can really help. I cry to Him. He, who shed red drops in the Garden comes to save me. And as He does, I am cleansed. Then I, too, can burst into bloom.