In His time, dear one, In His time

This has been a lousy year for Monarch butterflies...at least in my gardens.

There was one in the early Spring, and one several weeks ago who met his Maker on the same day I found him.

I've done everything I can to lure them in, but ultimately the problem is that they are endangered and there just aren't a lot of them out there.

I'm not going to go into the reasons why...suffice it to say I am humming the song, "Oh When Will They Ever Learn?".

So when I found a post on the Birds and Blooms Field Editor FB page of a Monarch cocooning and hatching out, I was drawn to it like...well...like a Monarch to Milkweed.

I remember years ago, when Monarchs were abundant, watching the same process take place in my yard.

I would diligently mark each twig with yarn that had a cocoon on it, count the days, watch for telltale signs that their emergence was imminent...

And then sit there all day watching them come out.

Yes, it does take a lot of patience...but that glorious moment when they broke free, wrinkled and shriveled and shaking?

I would sing the "Hallelujah Chorus" to them as I gazed on in absolute wonder.

Only God.

But today, as I watched the video, I saw it a little bit differently.

Maybe because of where I am in life now.

And what some days feel like.

Today I watched with different eyes.

Yes, the glory and wonder were still there.

But this time there was some weird kind of anthropomorphic identification thing going on,

Big words for, "I feel your pain, buddy."

I had to wonder, "Does he ever feel afraid?"

"Wonder what is going on?"

"Raise his little tiny eyes up to his Maker and hope He sure knows what He is doing?"

I would.

At 2:31 into the video, when he's shaking and his world is changing and he can't turn back...

And he can't see the future...

And the darkness is coming...for many, many days...

I wonder...

This morning, during my "devotion" time, I read about this same kind of thing.

Well, not about Monarchs specifically, but that's how I saw it.

What the author was talking about was how we are in the world...

Busy going along, day after day, doing what we do best...

When all of a sudden change comes into our lives...

And we can't outrun it or escape it.

Our only way out is through it...

Forced to look up to God and say,

"I have no idea what You are doing, but I choose to trust You."

And then there is silence.

And waiting.

And yet more waiting.

Until one day, our world splits open...

And where there once was darkness, there is now light...glorious light!

courtesy of Jason Tencza

And though everything around us is the same, we are different.

A new work has been done in us...

And we are born yet again...to a new way of living.

And we're amazed. And confounded. And a little bit scared.

Because it's so different.

All this unfolding and becoming...

Growing into our new skin...

Flexing our new spiritual muscles...

Seeing with new eyes.

And then comes that glorious moment when we take off...

No longer earth-bound...

But Heaven-bound.

On wings, like eagles....

We soar.

Free!

Maybe you are in a cocoon right now...

Waiting. In the Dark.

Wondering. When will it end?

Dear one, hold on to the promise....

That He is at work.

In you. And for you.

And that there will be a glorious outcome.

And then let go...and rest...and remember...

That He makes all things beautiful...

In His time.