| Moments for Meditation |
Cocoons & Conversions
by Fleta Mathews
“Behold, I show you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed” I Cor. 15:51
by Fleta Mathews
“Behold, I show you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed” I Cor. 15:51
As I watch with pleasure the butterflies around our home, I am
reminded of an incident that occurred many years ago. It was one
of the favorite feats I have observed in nature. I'm referring to the
miraculous metamorphosis of the beautiful butterfly. From a
creepy, crawly, wiggly worm, this wondrous work of God
emerges.
While teaching school, one day this transformation was
experienced by my entire class when we were studying insects
(Lepidoptera) in science class. One of the students brought in a
branch from a nearby bush that held the pupa of a Monarch
butterfly. Carefully, I pinned the branch to our bulletin board.
Day by day we observed the dull, drab thing and wondered if
anything would ever happen. Finally, one morning, we saw the
cocoon begin to split and slowly the butterfly began to emerge.
Some of my students wanted to help it get out as it seemed to
struggle so slowly. If we had helped it escape its prison, it would
not have survived. It had to come out and complete the process
on its own that God had established. We watched as it flapped it’
s wet wings for what seemed like a long time. Twenty-four
young faces (plus mine) watched in wonder and silence. Finally it
flew around our room, to the delight of us all. With a mixture of
gladness and sadness, we opened the door to set it free. Soon it
was out of sight, but the memory of that rare experience remains
with me today.
What a perfect picture of the person who is changed --
metamorphosized -- by the power of the Holy Spirit of God!
If we yield to His transforming power in our hearts and lives, we
will be able to look back and say with the songwriter, "He made
something beautiful, something good of my life... All I had to
offer Him was brokenness and strife... He made something
beautiful of my life". Other hymns have given us further insight
with such words as, “What a wonderful change in my life has
been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart”. But the change
in the heart, as wonderful as it is, awaits the metamorphosis of I
Corinthians 15:51-58...
"Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".
reminded of an incident that occurred many years ago. It was one
of the favorite feats I have observed in nature. I'm referring to the
miraculous metamorphosis of the beautiful butterfly. From a
creepy, crawly, wiggly worm, this wondrous work of God
emerges.
While teaching school, one day this transformation was
experienced by my entire class when we were studying insects
(Lepidoptera) in science class. One of the students brought in a
branch from a nearby bush that held the pupa of a Monarch
butterfly. Carefully, I pinned the branch to our bulletin board.
Day by day we observed the dull, drab thing and wondered if
anything would ever happen. Finally, one morning, we saw the
cocoon begin to split and slowly the butterfly began to emerge.
Some of my students wanted to help it get out as it seemed to
struggle so slowly. If we had helped it escape its prison, it would
not have survived. It had to come out and complete the process
on its own that God had established. We watched as it flapped it’
s wet wings for what seemed like a long time. Twenty-four
young faces (plus mine) watched in wonder and silence. Finally it
flew around our room, to the delight of us all. With a mixture of
gladness and sadness, we opened the door to set it free. Soon it
was out of sight, but the memory of that rare experience remains
with me today.
What a perfect picture of the person who is changed --
metamorphosized -- by the power of the Holy Spirit of God!
If we yield to His transforming power in our hearts and lives, we
will be able to look back and say with the songwriter, "He made
something beautiful, something good of my life... All I had to
offer Him was brokenness and strife... He made something
beautiful of my life". Other hymns have given us further insight
with such words as, “What a wonderful change in my life has
been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart”. But the change
in the heart, as wonderful as it is, awaits the metamorphosis of I
Corinthians 15:51-58...
"Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".
| PO Box 145 ~ Charleston, WV 25321 ~ (910) 948-4307 ~ glennandfleta@juno.com |
MEDITATIONS
| MENU |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Copyright © 2008 Revival Crusade, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PO Box 145 ~ Charleston, WV 25321 ~ (910) 948-4307 ~ glennandfleta@juno.com |