Jesus and the Violet (according to Herberger)
In short, there is nothing of beauty in the whole world that has not portrayed our Lord Jesus to us. Just look at the lonely blue violet for an example of how God’s works should be meditated upon.
The beloved violet comes unexpectedly. It may not be dug up or replanted, and it suffers great pain. Dear Lord Jesus, Creator of the violet, You also came to us unexpected and unsought, and took on all our misery from the very beginning. How can we thank You for this unexpected, unsought, and unsolicited love?
The violet is the loveliest flower. O Lord Jesus, I regard You as the loveliest flower in the whole world. I count You as “the most handsome of the children of men” (Ps. 45:2).
The violet is shaped like a wide-brimmed rain-hat. Oh Lord Jesus, You are my hain-hat. You shelter me so tht the deluge of God’s wrath does not drown me.
The violet has five petals. O Lord Jesus, You have five holy wounds, which are my petals of comfort. In these I will wrap myself. In these I will live out my Christian life and die a blessed death.
The violet’s color is the blue of heaven and the purple of scars. In its center it has a gold head. Dear Lord Jesus, how purple You were in the Praetorium, how purple You were on the cross with Your streams of blood! By Your purple scars I am healed. You came from the azure heavens to us on earth. You are true man and God, and the golden head of Your divine nature (1 Cor. 2:8) strengthened You so that all that You did had to prosper.
The violet is very effective at strengthening the heart, and it cools a high fever, and can be used against epilepsy. O Lord Jesus, You are the greatest strengthing for my heart, the best cordial. You cool me in the fever of spiritual attack, and keep me from falling into eternal death and perishing.
The violet does no harm to the sick. O Lord Jesus, You are not harmful in the least. You are good for young and old, great and small, sick and healthy alike. Blessed is he who carries You in his heart.
The violet is tender; it withers easily, it is trampled on everywhere. O Lord Jesus, so it was with You in the world. You were denied, trampled on everywhere, and at last You were made to wither on the cross so that we could flourish in eternity.
Violets come up early in the year; they are the most fervent flowers of all. Dear Lord Jesus, You also came up early in Paradise to herald the plan of our salvation. You are the “hind of the dawn” (Ps. 22:1). You still come up today, fervent to help us. You never once come too slowly. You omit nothing, and You yield all the more splendid returns.
Violets are the first up in our gardens after the cold winter here in the countryside. O Lord Jesus, You are the Firstfruits from the dead. And just as after the beloved violet the whole world comes to bloom, so by Your rising You obtained a joyous rising and summertime for us. On the Last Day, the whole world shall bloom, all Your Christians shall come back to life; Then we will all heartily rejoice.
Violets have a scent that is lovely beyond all measure. O Lord Jesus, You also “were made a sweet-smelling fragrance” (Eph. 5:2) on the cross, and You fill our heart with unspeakably lovely incense through the words of the Holy Gospel, as we hear every day in church.
The violet is a humble shrub. It grows by fences in lowly patches, not on high mountains. It bows its head to the ground; it creeps along the earth. Oh Lord Jesus, here I see an image of YUour profound humility. You offered Yourself to lowly, humble, and sad hearts, and by Your patient humility atoned for our arrogance and pride.
The violet turns three petals toward the earth but directs and raises two up over itself toward heaven. Likewise, Lord Jesus, in Your humiliation and the anguish of Your heart, You never neglected to pray. You entered Your afflictions with prayer, and as the mortal agonies of death drew closer, You prayed the more urgently. Indeed, on the cross You concluded Your life with prayer, and constantly amid the distresses of body and soul made the petals of Your sighs ascend to heaven. Oh, grant that I may learn from this in my adversity, and look to God in heaven when misery presses me to the earth.
The violet has very deep roots; under small shrubs I have found roots over a span in length. O Lord Jesus, You have deep roots, the might that You concealed. “Your throne stands firm” (Ps. 93:2), and therefore the evil one himself could not uproot or harm You.
This is how you should survey the world and learn to contemplate the Master from His works. But if I were to go through the entire natural world, it would take a whole book.
[One should remember that Valerius Herberger’s writing reflects the science and medical opinion of the early 1700’s. The misinformation he received from his contemporaries in no way damages the devotional value of his writings nor detracts from his main point.]
Herberger, Valerius The Great Works of God: Parts One and Two: The Mysteries of Christ in the Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-15 80-81