A Protective Cage

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Green, white and black caterpillars crawled up bare, milkweed stems. With three butterfly cages, I kept busy cleaning them out to prevent diseases and also supplied fresh milkweed to the voracious eaters. 

            Each time I collected bunches of the foliage, I searched for teeny, white eggs and little caterpillars too. With lots of predators such as wasps, bees, and lizards, the population of butterflies in the area had dwindled. 

            When my town became a Monarch city, I decided to help the gorgeous insects. The time consuming, but rewarding, endeavor brings joy when butterflies are released and soar with the wind. 

            In my cages, they are sheltered and nourished. Within a few weeks, they move from teeny eggs to magnificent adults as they progress through metamorphoses. Although it is a perfect arrangement for a while, they can’t live permanently in the confined space. They need to spread their wings and enter the outside world. 

            In our uncertain, often scary, world, it might be tempting to stay secluded, sustained and away from the afflictions and disasters of the world. 

            Although God protects and nourishes us when we become Christians, we are not promised an easy life. The Bible instructs and leads us in the way we should go. Biblical teaching and fellowship with other Christians give us peace, hope and strength for our journey into society. 

            Jesus never promised us a trial free life but did promise He would be with us in our difficulties. 

            With Him as our protector, we can soar and make a difference in the world around us.

Loving Father, we don’t know your plan but trust you to teach  and lead us. Amen

Distressed Butterflies

You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. Ezekiel 2:7 (NIV)

Four chrysalises opened. From the top of my butterfly cage, two hung and then flapped wings. They were eager to take off. 

            Unfortunately, the other two fell upside-down to the bottom of the enclosure. Thread-sized legs grasped frantically at the air. They couldn’t fly or turn themselves over. 

            When I unzipped the cage, the active ones clasped my finger and crawled on my hand before flying away. 

            The others needed help. Each one tried to clutch my finger but dropped. Over and over they attempted to hold on.

            Finally, I pulled my hand out twice as each of them gripped my finger. With limited strength, they fell to the ground. 

            Time after time I put a tiny twig near the teeny legs and laid them on milkweed plants. They squeezed valiantly but plummeted. Finally, both hung from the leaves while fluid filled their wings.  

            I checked on them every few minutes. Thankfully after a couple hours, one flapped its wings and zoomed off. 

            However, the second butterfly’s wings refused to open completely. No matter how many times I tried to rescue it, the wee creature couldn’t fly. 

            For an unseen reason, it never followed God’s plan. I felt sadness at losing the little one. But I rejoiced that twenty-eight butterflies flew away. 

            God doesn’t want any to perish. Butterflies or people. 

            Often we nurture and guide those who falter. We might try over and over to help them know Jesus. Many  believe but some don’t. 

            I won’t give up on my butterflies even though some don’t survive. Likewise, we shouldn’t give up on sharing the love of Jesus even though some reject Him. 

            In all cases, let the Holy Spirit lead us and leave the results to God. 

Creator, the beauty of your creation captures us. But even in the midst of the beauty, there is sadness and rejection.  Lead us to help those who falter. Amen   

Day of Waiting

 

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.  Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Luke 23:50-56 (NIV)

Waiting for a check to arrive. Waiting for the traffic light to change. Waiting for a phone call. Waiting to see a doctor. 

 

            Every day we wait for something. Significant and insignificant. Sometimes with anticipation and other times with dread. 

 

            After His crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples, women who stood at the foot of the cross, Roman soldiers, Pilate and religious leaders waited. 

 

            The women waited to finish adding spices to His lifeless body after the Sabbath. His disciples waited in a locked room wondering if they would die for being with Him. Roman soldiers guarded the tomb and waited for followers to try to steal His body to “prove” He rose. Jewish leaders waited for normalcy to return to their lives. Pilate waited for peace to return to his jurisdiction. 

 

            During the silence of Saturday, the world waited with impatience, confusion, and sadness. 

 

            Although thousands experienced Jesus’ miracles and teachings, His death squashed hope. Brought despair and uncertainty. 

 

            For Christians, the silence of Saturday brings a time of contemplation and reflection. Time to examine beliefs,  prioritize lives and remember the agony of the cross. 

 

            Embrace the solemn silence of Saturday before the joy and excitement of Easter. 

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to die for us. Amen.

Cloudy Eyes

 

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! 

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NIV)

A wall of fog concealed the lake. Bit by bit, grayness dispersed to reveal the near-by shoreline.  However, a veil of haze produced a fuzzy view of the lake.

            Before eye surgery, cloudy lenses distorted my eyesight. Because cataracts developed over time, I had no idea my contorted vision wasn’t trustworthy. 

            When I had to constantly wear reading glasses and distance views were blurry, I knew I had a problem. An eye exam confirmed cataracts needed to be removed. 

            After my first surgery, the bathroom light glowed like a beacon.  Kitchen lights blazed with a new intensity. 

            With my corrected eye, white shirts glistened. The same shirt with my other eye appeared as a dull beige. I opened and closed one eye at a time to experience the contrast in colors and brilliance. 

            For a few years, cloudiness affected my vision without me realizing it. Only after the removal of the imperfections did I truly understand defects I had lived with. 

            Each person sees the world through a different lens which may be distorted because of life situations. We may not realize our perspective is clouded until the imperfections are removed. 

            But in Jesus, we are new creations with the veil removed. 

Father, thank you for giving us new life and helping us see life through Your eyes. Amen.  

Healing Tears

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. Psalm 42:5 (The Message)

Shadowy figures blended together into an immense blur. With one cataract removed, I expected clear vision in my left eye like I had with LASIK surgery several years ago. But I couldn’t read or even work on my computer with a fuzzy reading eye.  

            Watching TV wasn’t easy with one foggy eye. When I tried to close it, my eyelid kept popping open.

            Finally, I positioned myself on the couch with a pillow holding my eye shut. That worked so I could watch a detective program with my distance eye. The cozy pose lulled me to sleep and I missed the end of the show. Thankfully, I could replay the DVD. 

            When the fuzziness didn’t improve, I looked up the side effect on the Internet. The information said it could last for days or weeks. I texted friends who had the surgery to see how they fared. Most didn’t remember much about bleary sight. 

            I wanted the problem solved immediately but knew that wasn’t going to happen so I trudged off to bed. 

            With tape across half of my face to hold the shield in place and my sleep apnea device in my mouth, I laughed at my indistinct image in the mirror. 

            Way before the sun shone into my room, I awoke and wondered if my sight had improved. But my left eye refused to open. Scenarios swirled. Had the eye drops acted like glue? Perhaps infection afflicted me. 

            Reluctantly, I shuffled to the bathroom to assess the problem. My eye opened in slow motion when I removed the tape and eye shield. Instructions from the doctor said to not get the eye wet nor touch it for a week. With clean fingers, I carefully took tiny swipes to wipe off the gooey discharge. 

            Minutes later, I began my morning devotions wearing reading glasses and still not seeing clearly. Instantly, a multitude of tears began washing over my eyes. Grief for Alan not being with me for support. Hope of better vision. Thankfulness for prayers. Sadness for being lonely. Gratitude for friends who bolstered me. Anxiety for not knowing if haziness would remain. Peace from God for all I faced. 

            The tears continued to flow with emotions spilling out. As they slowed, I looked down at the Bible. I felt like shouting and praising God. Without glasses, words were clear for the first time in years. 

            God used tears to cleanse my eyes and heart.  

Loving Father, thank you for being close to us when we are sad, lonely, thankful, anxious, or peaceful. You can take what seems difficult and make it into something priceless. Amen.

  

The Legacy Shirt

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

Osceola Senior Games was printed across the top of the blue t-shirt. My eleven-year-old granddaughter, Molly, certainly wasn’t elderly or about ready to graduate but she wore one of my dad’s shirts for a nightgown.

            Although she wore his shirt, she never saw him run track, play basketball or softball. She learned of his sports activities from our family stories.

For years, my dad participated in Senior Games all over the United States. Medals he won covered a wall of his garage and he accumulated a supply of t-shirts from each tournament. When he passed away, several family members kept some of his shirts.

            Even though she didn’t know him like her sisters did, Molly carries on his legacy by wearing his shirt. In addition, she plays softball and basketball like he did. Watching her become more like her great-grandpa makes me happy.

            Although we don’t have a t-shirt that belonged to Jesus, we become more and more like Him when the Holy Spirit works within us. Instead of a physical garment, we can put on the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

            That legacy is even better than a shirt.

Loving Father, help us to put on the righteousness of God as we become more like Jesus. Amen.

Me Selfish??

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).  Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

John 6:8-13 (NIV)

A breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and fried potatoes awaited church volunteers who ate before or after their serving times. 

            My friend, Mike, and I picked up our plates and waited until the disheveled man in front of us finished heaping food on his plate. He grabbed a ketchup bottle and squeezed a blob onto his food. 

            A week earlier, Mike and I decided we needed ketchup so we were glad someone had brought a bottle of it. 

            When the man started towards the door with the condiment in his hand, I asked, “Is there any more ketchup?”

            His answer shocked me. Without even a glance at me, he said “I bought it.” Then he left with the bottle in hand. 

            We shook our heads. I couldn’t believe his selfishness. I was too stunned to answer. 

            For years, the rumpled man has appeared soon after breakfast is set out. He doesn’t volunteer and rarely talks to anyone. I have never seen him attend a service but he loves the food. 

            When I have tried to engage him in conversation, he ignores me or gives one word. 

            I assumed he was homeless but found out he isn’t and does have a job. 

            All week the scenario played in my mind. Should someone tell him he is selfish? Should we let him continue to be that way? Which would be most helpful? 

             As I pondered his deplorable behavior, God spoke to me about my own attitudes. Am I selfish about my resources and time? Is my time more valuable to me than comforting someone who is grieving? Do I ignore a person who grates on my nerves because I don’t want to waste my time? Are my desires more important than helping a friend in need? Do I avoid a difficult situation because it might be uncomfortable to me? Do I grab ahold of what God has given me and hold tightly? 

            My behavior might not be as blatant as the man at church but selfish just the same. Perhaps our breakfast is the best meal of his week. Maybe he has trouble relating to people and doesn’t know what to say. Hopefully, being at church, seeing Christians who let him have a meal might lead him to Jesus. 

            Alan used to say, “We never know what others are going through.”

            I am glad I didn’t say anything to him because I don’t want to be a barrier to someone accepting and loving Jesus.

            God used the man’s inconsiderate behavior to make me look at myself. 

Lord, you can use all kinds of situations to teach us how we should be living. Thank you for helping me not speak and learning from what I saw. Each day, show me how to be more like you. Amen.