He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Life throws at us some hard storms and calm days.  Sometimes we break or bend or stand tall.  God promises that if we seek Him at all times, we will flourish and grow and bloom in season, despite “broken limbs” and “twisted stumps”  What an awesome promise!

     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.

I saw this one morning on my way out of the driveway.  What does it say to you?

I love to collect natural objects; rocks, seashells, pine cones etc.  I am always amazed and curious about God’s creations from the smallest rock to the mightiest of mountains.  But, I especially like small or apparently inconsequential things like a feather.  A feather is soft and usually only has one or two colors on it.  However, that one color laid beside or over another color develops a bird’s beautiful coloration.  A bird’s feathers resists water and help to keep it warm.  One soft feather combined with other feathers and a bird’s skeleton create wings that can lift its body from the ground and soar in winds that we could barely stand up against.

Psalm 91 gives a conditional promise that if we make the Most High our dwelling place, God will protect and take care of us.  Specifically, verse four states that He will cover us with His feathers and we will find refuge under His wings.  At first, this was hard for me to perceive, but I found a feather.  To be covered and clothed by God’s feathers, I am clothed in gentleness, peace and joy.  I am also clothed in strength, resilience and a holy splendor.  These feathers combined with God’s faithfulness and omnipotence allow  me to withstand the force of ‘strong winds’, to remain ‘dry in the rain’ and to be ‘warm in the cold’ that storms will bring.  And these feathers combined with God’s grace will allow me to fly higher than my mind could ever imagine.  But also I can rest in the comfort of God’s wings and be protected by his unfailing love.

O Lord, teach me Your ways in all that I do.  Lead me and guide me and I will seek you each day.  Father God, clothe me in your heavenly feathers so that I may fly in your flock and rest under your wings, not for my glory, but Yours.