I think we can understand God's character in His creation. The beauty of the butterfly is one way. How it transforms, in what may seem like a death and suffering, into such majestic beauty.
Here is a quote from Answers.com that I loved although it refers to other religions and cultures I think the jest is beautiful.
"The butterfly is a reminder to make changes when the opportunity arises. Change and transformation are inevitable for us all, but it does not have to be traumatic. Butterfly symbolism is also closely tied to the idea of spirits and souls. It has been used in many religions and cultures. In the western world, the symbol of the butterfly stands for freedom, fun and joyous times. It is also symbolises a state of naturalness and purity."
All my life as I told you in another post My Skating Rink Story that I felt a loss in my relationship with my father due to his alcoholism but Abba was behind the scenes orchestrating a beautiful transformation even back then. This Fall it came to fruition or transformed like a beautiful butterfly. (Can click on the purple blog title to go to it)
Last week my father called me. He said.. You know I forgot to tell you how much I love you last time we talked. Whose butterfly are you? I entertained him and said, Yours Daddy!!!!" He went on to recall why he called me His Butterfly. When I was a little girl I would beg my daddy to catch me a butterfly. He carefully taught me how to handle them so I wouldn't hurt them. Once they flew away from my little hand I would always say, Whooooooo! Then quickly say, "Catch me another one daddy!"
Abba this Fall is replacing hurt and disappointment with treasured memories I hadn't remembered about my father. In that my view of Abba has completely become so intimate.
I had to search my heart and ask why had I chosen to remember the hurt and not those treasured moments. After all, those moments were why I was hurt because I missed those times with my daddy that seemed to become replaced with another love, at least in my eyes. Why do we do that? I see people remember only the good things of a person after they pass. Why? Why aren't we doing that while they are here with us? When did my hurt replace those beautiful moments and cause me to separate from my daddy.
Yesterday God took me back to a memory I had forgotten. I had taken my daddy to lunch and he was drunk. I remember people gawking in such a sight and even feeling sorry for me. How is that? They had mercy for me but judged him. He reminded me of my heart that day. How I didn't care what they clearly had written on their faces. HE IS MY DADDY! I defended him in my heart and made a choice to enjoy that time. I see Abba's defense that way. He loves us so that even when we clearly should be judged He is motivated to love us to transform us.
In the book The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith. I am in Chapter 7. God is self-sacrificing. God immediately showed me the cross and I had this revelation inspired by the book.
The Cross -The longest length represents Jesus went to the depth for us because of God's depth of love for us and across (the width) He lifts us up higher because He sent Jesus to lift the whole world to Himself.
The kingdom principle in all this is: "What we let go of will never be lost but becomes a thing of beauty."
I loved the quote above that said. "The butterfly is a reminder to make changes when the opportunity arises. Change and transformation are inevitable for us all, but it does not have to be traumatic..."
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TRAUMATIC!! Remember the treasured times in your life with those you love and let that be the opportunity to overcome those traumatic times and transform to the beauty of love.
The book also captivated me with this sentence, "Forgiving someone makes us appear weak and vulnerable, but it actually reveals strength and power."
In forgiving my daddy of the hurt I felt, I gained strength from Abba, transformed and my relationship with my DADDIES are transforming into something VERY BEAUTIFUL.
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