Thursday, August 10th, 2023
Today, I am going to continue with the butterfly life cycle theme. As we observe this chrysalis from day to day I am in awe of all that must be happening behind that cover.
Somehow, something that was dense and long and bound to the earth is going to emerge as something delicately beautiful and free to roam the open skies. As I write this, I am struck by the similarity of what Jesus’ death on the cross did for us. We too were once bound to the sins of humankind destined for eternal death. But God. God sent His only Son to be the final sacrifice for us so that we could be free. 1 Peter 2:24 says it perfectly:
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
If we will accept them, He gives us wings so that we can live a life of beautiful freedom from crawling around in the muck and mire of this sinful world. Galations 5:1 declares this promise for us:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
This doesn’t automatically mean that everything is warm summer breezes and fresh flowers. We still live in a cursed world. We too will find ourselves in our own chrysalises from time to time. It doesn’t mean that what Jesus did on the cross becomes null and void. It simply means that we have more refining and maturing to do in our spiritual walk. It’s a constant renewing for whatever areas God wants to set us free from. It’s not a one time thing. Romans 12:2 says it like this:
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As we watch this chrysalis, the other piece that my mind keeps pondering is a marveling at all the things in creation that happen behind closed doors. Let’s start with the one that is most relatable to humans, pregnancy.
How incredible that a microscopic element from a man can join with a near-microscopic element from a woman and in 9 months produce a living, moving and breathing being. And all this without any required actions from us. Yes, it’s important for the pregnant mom to eat healthy, rest and take care of her body, but she is not there developing and adding in lungs or sewing on arms. God is the one that designed the only process there is. It has been and will continue replicating billions and billions of times again. How about when a seed sprouts and turns into a plant?
All we see is the covering of the seed, but inside, the code that God programmed is developing a new plant that will produce after its kind…again and again. Or how about a bird’s egg.
Like the others, we see an exterior shell, but the secret of fashioning a baby chick remains locked behind closed doors. Lastly, I pictured the mysterious process that must go on inside a tree that is dormant in the winter.
From the naked unknowing eye, the tree appears lifeless. It has no leaves, and its bare branches certainly do not appear to be singing and dancing. But deep in the cells of those trees the unchanging formula for maintaining life never stops. The tree is conserving its energy and waiting patiently for spring when it produces the sap that will create its next set of leaves.
God delights in His secret treasures. After thousands of years, we still cannot comprehend the size or happenings of the entire universe. And I am pretty sure we never will. So why is it that we think we have to control or understand everything that God does in our lives? If we don’t see God working does that somehow mean He has set us on the back burner? If we can’t see every step of the journey He wants us to take does that mean we won’t take the bungee jump of faith and trust Him anyways? I’m no expert here, and I will admit this is one of my biggest battles. However, the deeper I go with God and the more I experience the absolute beauty and mystery of all He has created I am determined to let Him be God. Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us of the value of patient faith:
For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
Final Thoughts…
God has never lied, and He never will. His promises don’t ebb and flow. His creation doesn’t need an upgrade or a new and improved version. Instead of dreading those seasons of dormancy or being holed up in a chrysalis we need to decide to just settle in and trust God. If we always knew what He was doing we would probably still try to do it our own way anyways. We cannot see all the pieces that God does. He is the only One that knows how all the things done in secret come together to create something beautifully harmonious. Trust Him in your challenges. Trust Him in your joy. Trust Him in your sadness. He is the Master Fabricator and He delights in making it all as beautiful as Him.