While we were hiking, I overhead some other hikers talking about searching for the Gray's Lily that they had read about on the information post at the beginning of the trail. They were hoping that they would see this rare lily that is endangered. It seems that Roan Mountain is one of the few places where they can still be seen. They were disappointed that they hadn't seen any. When I got back to the end of the trail I read the information and picture and learned that the flower that I had been taking pictures of was the rare Gray's Lily.
I think that before I had my camera, I wouldn't have even noticed the little flower. My camera has opened my eyes to God's world and I have seen many wonderful things like the Gray's Lily. I have recently been reading Ephesians and Paul's prayer for open eyes of his people in Ephesus.
Ephesians 1:18 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."
Just like those hikers who had walked right past the all the Gray's Lilies that I had seen, how many times I miss seeing the rare beauty that God has for me because I am too focused on myself. I want to pray with the Psalmist in 119:18 "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."