Seek Jehovah and his strength, seek his face continually; Remember his wondrous works which he hath done, his miracles and the judgments of his mouth.
(Psalm 105:4-5)
My weary body longed for more sleep but my active mind disagreed. Hours before dawn, I padded to my kitchen for a cup of tea.
Normally, I spend my devotional time outside but cold weather and darkness recently kept me inside. Cool but not cold air greeted me when I opened the door. Should I stay in or go outside?
The outdoors won. With my tea and books, I ventured into the dark. A solitary lamp lit my way and illuminated pages as I read the Bible and devotional books. There wasn’t enough light to see outside.
Although I couldn’t distinguish anything beyond the screen, I knew I wasn’t alone. Noisy crows cawed to one another. Cars hummed down the interstate. Leaves rustled close by.
Could it be squirrels, raccoons, deer or a bear? I had seen all of them around the lake.
I stared into the inky darkness for a moment and then continued reading. Only a screen separated me from whatever lurked in my yard.
Little by little, shadowy figures of ducks, flowers and trees appeared. Semidarkness revealed a lake that wiggled with tiny waves. A hint of color swept across the sky and quickly dissolved.
After refilling my teacup, I glanced into the mostly dark butterfly cage by my chair. Every morning I checked to see if any Monarchs had emerged. In winter, they usually migrate to warmer areas but five late season chrysalises developed in my cage. As I started to move away, I noticed a change.
Two butterflies, with wings folded, hung like statues from the mesh top. How long had they been there?
They might have been waiting all night but seemed content and not ready to be released. In the dim light, I couldn’t see their vibrant colors but knew later I would observe the delicate creatures more fully.
The beautiful, out of season Monarchs reminded me to search for other miracles of hope and peace in our unsettled world.
Jehovah, as we face trials in a turbulent world, help us see miracles, even small ones, which remind us of your love, care and peace. Amen
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