December 3, 2007
Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good,
pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 NIV
While talking to one of the ministry team members; she was telling me about a friend of her mom's who had a dream about a butterfly. While listening to her I thought about the above scripture. The word transformed in the scripture is the Greek word from which we get the English word metamorphosis.After talking to her it got me pondering the differences between butterflies and moths. I know very little about entomology (the study of insects) so I did a little studying and found that both butterflies and moths are of the same family. There are a few minor physical differences but the primary difference seems to be one of classification.
Butterflies are daylight creatures and moths are nocturnal. Some types of each seem more attractive to the eye than others but that's simply a matter of personal preference.
Moths and butterflies are similar in their stages of growth. They start as eggs, become caterpillars and eventually they are transformed into adult species. If they could think, I doubt that caterpillars would ever imagine themselves as those free flying creatures they see in the air. There are a few species of caterpillar that are attractive in their own way, but none can compare to the beauty of an adult butterfly.
As Christians we are a lot like butterflies or moths. We are born with a sin nature into a sin filled world. We crawl around in the muck and the mire that is life never truly imagining the magnitude of all that God created us to be and never understanding what it means to be created in His image. Yet, if we listen to Holy Spirit's prompting and open our hearts to Christ, something wonderful occurs.
Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, we emerge new creations. It takes a little time to strengthen our wings, but when we do, we soar far above our old nature. Oh, we can still land and find ourselves in the muck, but with Holy Spirit's help and the love of Jesus we're soon back in the air again soaring free.
Many Christians have not truly grasped the freedom of Jesus. They have been forgiven of their sins but they don't really get it. They are like butterflies with caterpillar minds. They fly sometimes, but spend most of their time on the ground as if they still had their old nature.
Christ designed us to be free in Him. He created us to soar in love; hope; peace; joy and freedom. He made us to fly high and bring Him glory.
That's amazing enough. Yet all that He does in us this side of glory is simply a foretaste. We cannot comprehend glory any more than a caterpillar can comprehend flying. We'll have to wait until we get there and experience it. I do know though that being free in Christ beats being dead in my sins hands down every time. I can hardly wait to see what lies ahead.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
The question for you today is, Have you and are you being transformed?
Are you changing from faith to faith?
Are you going from glory to glory?
The proof of being "born again" is the manifestation of a changed life!
Remember you will never fly until you shed your old cocoon!
Darrel Mason