"Keng Hwa"

"Keng Hwa" (in Hokkien) or Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Dutchman's   Pipe,   kardable,   Night   Queen  or निशागंधीNishagandhi or Gul-e-Bakawali) is a species of cactus and one of the most cultivated  species  in  the genus.  It is a variety of nightblooming Cereus and  often confused with species of Selenicereus.  [Wikipedia]

The plant was given to us by a church's friend  about  3  years ago.  From the leaf  cutting,  we  just  'poke'  and planted it.  After 3 years, in June, among the many snaky,  flat  and  long leaves, we saw a bud sprout from the edge of a  leaf,  not the tip.  We waited night after night, but  the flower did  not bloom and the bud wither after a few days.

In mid August, we saw 3 buds sprouting again.  And on 27 August, we waited patiently from 11.45 pm  to witness how the bud manifest into a pure white flower the size of a medium dinner plate.  

What a magnificient creation of God.

Dwelling in His holy hill

Psalm 15:1-3  Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?  Who may live on your mountain?  The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and cast no slur on others.

To dwell in God's intimate presence and fellowship with Him, we must walk in integrity, we must work righteousness and we must speak the truth in our hearts.

We must avoid slander with our tongue, and we must not do evil to our neighbour.  We must also not take up a reproach, or receive a reproach, against our friends.  This emphasizes the importance of obedience and completeness of moral conduct.

We should always seek to do right in the sight of God.  (Exodus 19:5-6; Ephesians 2:10)

We must obey God from the heart (Luke 6:45; Philippians 1:9-10)

We must treat others as we want to be treated - lives by the rule of love (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14)