It was a hot mid-July afternoon as I was pulling up to a busy intersection.  Something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye.  Since I was stopped waiting on the light, I turned and saw more clearly a large yellow and black butterfly fluttering along down the middle of the road.  What struck me was the peaceful meandering it took in the midst of a steamy, busy mechanical world of cars and trucks.

My first thought was of how the Holy Spirit is always present even when we are not paying attention.  Then I remembered that butterflies have Christian symbolic meaning.  Afterwards, I proceed to look that up as soon as I could and found references to the fact that the butterfly is primarily an Easter symbol representing the resurrection of Christ from the grave but also it speaks to the Christian heart of the promise of each individual’s resurrection when God will judge all mankind.  Our bodies which are buried in corruptible flesh will one day be raised in an incorruptible spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:42-44; 1 Thes. 4:13-16).  But butterflies also speak to the way in which that resurrection power is at work in us when we become saved and live for God.  Like the caterpillar that eventually becomes enclosed in the darkness of its cocoon, where God transforms their bodies into butterflies, we who were lost were enclosed in the darkness of our sin, God opened up our hearts and transformed us to be new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).  It is God alone that has that power to resurrect and transform us into what He needs us to be.  Our ‘cocoons’ are often trials and tribulations, circumstances and choices that appear to have no value or good in them.  We were once as repulsive as a caterpillar but by God’s grace, wisdom and yes, even mystery, he encapsulated us to form us and mold us into creatures of wonder and awe; ‘butterflies’.

            So in the split second of sitting at the intersection, one beautiful butterfly fluttered by and I was reminded again that God’s resurrection power is still at work today.  It may seem to be meandering through our daily life, but God has set the course and continues to raise up sinners.  His power is at work in sick rooms and hospital beds.  His power is transforming lives in jail cells and mental institutions.  Most importantly His power is at work in us daily, tenderly and gently fluttering through our souls in the still small voice of the Spirit extending grace and mercy, guiding our thoughts and our actions if we will just take the time to notice His presence in the minute details of our day.  The problem is that we are more like the busy intersection, on a course of our own, hot and bothered about unimportant things, always in a hurry to get somewhere to do something all the while we miss God’s presence in the midst of it all.  God gave me a butterfly to remind me of Himself and to be grateful for the resurrection power He has given even to me.  God gave me a butterfly.