Did you know that Christians have a lot in common with butterflies? Hope in the Morning’s Kevin Groves shares what he learned years ago and how it can bring you an extra dose of hope and encouragement today…
One morning I was waiting at the hospital in the pre-op room with my dad before his surgery. We were watching a nature channel on a TV in the room when he told me about the monarch butterfly migration which I had never heard of.
I was amazed to learn that monarch butterflies make a 3000 mile trip from Canada, through the United States, to the high mountains of South America. This seems unlikely considering how fragile the Monarch is, but they actually make the trip. They travel in groups of around half a million.
It’s a one-way journey for the monarchs. The group that takes off together in Canada isn’t the same group that returns. By the time their northern migration from South America back to Canada is complete, none of the original monarchs have survived. It’s a new generation who will carry on the mission… and so the monarchs live on.
You and I, as Believers, have 3 things in common with the monarch….
IT'S A ONE-WAY TRIP
We don’t get do-overs in life. We should make our life count for Jesus because He made His life count for us. This doesn’t mean we can’t make mistakes… even big ones. We are bound by our nature to mess things up sometimes (Romans 7)! However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be defined by our mistakes, only motivated to outlive them by Faith in Christ.
WE BRING GOD GLORY
Monarch butterflies bring God glory just by their existence as God’s incredible creation. But as Believers, we bring God glory by FAITH. Trusting God in the everyday ups and downs of this journey called life. We bring God glory by following His Word. We bring God glory by loving those who are ‘unlovable’. We bring God glory by recognizing we are created in His ‘likeness’. We bring God glory by finding out how He’s gifted each of us, and using those gifts for Him!
WE ARE A NEW CREATION
We all know that butterflies go through a period of transformation. From the lowly caterpillar to that beautiful, multi-colored, winged creature. When we accept Christ. The moment of eternal forgiveness from God (Salvation) is instantaneous, but the many changes he makes in us from that moment on are a process (Sanctification). As amazing as the Monarch butterfly is, Jesus didn’t die for these beautiful creatures. He died for you and I.
Life is a one way trip, let’s bring God all the glory we can as the new creations we are… He deserves it!
