Repeat after me, "I am a beautiful butterfly!"

I must be out of my mind.

But I read something this morning that blessed me so much, I have to share it with you...

In spite of the fact that my kitchen is half-painted and totally torn apart, cabinet contents in boxes scattered throughout the house...

And I have a Bible Study tonight...

And I am leading one tomorrow night and and need to prepare for that...

And I have company coming for the weekend.

Nothing like a little motivation to get things done!

Anyway, back to what's important.

This morning I read something for the study tonight that was such a beautiful visual I have to share it with you.

It comes from the book, The Good and Beautiful God, from the chapter, God Transforms...

"If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; 

see, everything has become new!"

"The butterfly was once a caterpillar, a worm. It could only crawl, and could not fly. But it goes into a cocoon...a chrysalis, in which the root word, appropriately, is 'Christ.' And it emerges a butterfly, completely transformed. The old has passed. The new has arrived. It was once weighed down by gravity; now it can fly. Christians were once under the reign of sin, but now we can live in freedom."

While I was on my knees yesterday, painting away, this song came on the radio...

And I wanted to play it over and over again.

So I could be reminded...

That's it not what I do, or how I do it.

That's it's all about Christ.

'Cause I don't always get it right.

'Cause I don't always overcome.

'Cause I don't always fight depression...and weariness...and hopelessness...and sin.

But He does. In me. Through me. Through this new creation.

And through my brokenness, He offers a gift...

The ability to minister because of the pain...

"A Director of Campus Ministries wanted to communicate the paradox of how we minister to others through our brokenness, so he took a cardboard box and asked his students to "beat it up." They punctured holes in the box, kicked it around and tore pieces off it. Then he placed the box on a table in front of them all. Underneath the box was a light. He dimmed the house lights, and then turned on the light inside the box. He didn't need to say anymore. They all understood. The light of Jesus shines clearly through our broken places." (The Good and Beautiful God)

I don't know about where you live, but here there is an abundance of butterflies flitting from garden to garden, adding yellow and orange and black to an already colorful palette.

Some of them are whole, in all their glory.

Many of them are missing wing tips...are shredded...and faded...evidence of having encountered life.

Just like many of us.

But the point is, they are still butterflies...doing what butterflies were created to do.

And us?

We are new creations, led by the Spirit...free.

We are ones in whom Christ dwells...

Where there is freedom. And grace, And mercy.

So the next time you see a butterfly, remember this...

You are beautiful. You are free. You were created for a purpose.

And Christ is in you...your hope of glory..

And mine!