Sunflowers

This past summer we enjoyed the beauty of the sunflowers growing on our college farm. The huge heads of these amazing flowers towering high up on their stalks have always fascinated me. I’m especially intrigued by how the sunflower knows to turn its head toward the sun. Here’s what I found.

Sunflowers are “heliotropes,” a category of flowers that follow the movement of the sun. They start the day facing east, preparing for the sun to emerge over the horizon. Younger sunflowers will follow the sun as it moves across the sky and pivot westward throughout the day. After the sun sets in the western sky, they slowly turn back toward the east during the night, waiting for the sun to rise again.^[1] This is a beautiful illustration of why seeking Jesus, our “Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2), should be our first daily priority. We are to keep our