Bullfrogs and Butterflies

Do you remember that silly song we sometimes sang when we were growing up? "Bullfrogs and butterflies, they've both been born again. Bullfrogs and butterflies, they've both been born again!"

Actually, it was from the '70s so it was a ridiculous song...but that's ok. I was reminded of that song today, but first I have to tell you a story from awhile ago.

Last summer a friend of mine challenged me to chose a symbol that would continue to remind me of God's love. I was very skeptical. In fact, I was having a really rough summer and I was pretty confused about how God was loving me. I did, however, chose a symbol. That symbol was a butterfly. Soon I began to be amazed at how often butterflies came into view. It was very often, at least once a day. Well, it was summer time, and again towards winter I began to be skeptical again. However, God did not cease to show me his love through my chosen symbol. The butterfly continues to be a cherished thing to me for this reason.

Today I was driving home from the library on a road that came between a field and a landscaping business. The fields around me were literally covered in butterflies, similar to what you see above. This thought hit me: God's love for me is abundant! Sometimes I think that it is unfortunate how we take his great love forgranted.  The song we sing as children, "Jesus loves me," seems so cliche that we don't realize how it is applied in our lives. The ultimate sign of his love is his forgiveness and his saving work on the cross. Besides that, God loves us so much that he hurts with us when the pains of this life are weighing us down. It might seem that God is distant or doesn't care, but he does and he has the ultimate empathy for us. In addition, one of the greatest ways that Christ shows his love to us is by the changing work that he does inside of us. I think that is why I like the butterfly so much. It has been transformed into something new and beautiful.  Without Christ we are ugly creatures! When Christ enters our life and takes control we begin to tranformed. Sometimes that change hurts, but in the end we are even more beautiful than we could have imagined. I want to encourage you to persevere through seemingly difficult times! God's love for you is absolutely abundant!