Raindrops and Butterflies!

Raindrops and More from the Study of the Butterfly!

The Butterfly!

I was out walking one day last summer and saw a beautiful butterfly.  I stopped and watched this butterfly for 2 or 3 minutes and just marveled at this little creature noting its wings, antennae, and other features.

 I knew God had something to say to me about the butterfly.  God’s creations are just awesome!  One must take the time to stop, observe, reflect, and ask – “God, what can you show me from these many creations which I can apply in my life and my relationship to You as well to my relationship to others.” 

So, when I got home, I did some research on the butterfly and found some very interesting information which is followed by some reflections and applications to our lives.  I hope this oracle encourages you in these last days of this age.

The Butterfly Wings! 

The butterfly wings are quite thin and delicate.  When it rains, the raindrops fall on their wings at about twenty-two miles per hour. 

This is like a bowling ball falling from the sky on humans.  The question to be asked – “Why are the wings of the butterfly not destroyed by these raindrops?”

Here is the answer.  The butterfly wings have a waxy surface which makes them water-resistant. In addition, the wings are covered by tiny black spots on the wings. When the raindrops hit the wings, the tiny black bumps rupture spreading the force of the raindrops in dozens of tiny droplets which bounce off the waxy wings keeping the wings dry and whole allowing the butterfly to keep on flying.   In addition, the butterfly wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales. These scales also divert the drops of rain as well as reflect light in different colors.

When I was writing the above, I begin to ponder on my observing of this little butterfly which is recorded below.

 Reflection #1 – The Caterpillar and Butterfly Stage…..Prior to being born again, we are like the butterfly in the caterpillar state – tucked away in the womb being developed by the hand of God. He wants to bring forth some beautiful things in us which are reflections of Him.

As the caterpillar emerges from his worm-like state, it is transformed into a butterfly. Likewise, we emerge from the pre-born-again stage of life to the born-again stage by coming to Christ, confessing and repenting of sin, and accepting Christ as Lord and Savior.

In such a transition, we are changed and become a symbol of rebirth and resurrection from the “dead” (dead to trespasses and sin) to abundant life now, eternal life after we leave this world, and enter the presence of Christ. 

Like the butterfly, we are transformed and made alive being resurrected into a “new man” or “new woman” – a new creation in Christ.  It is by God’s wonderful grace we are transformed into the born-again stage. 

We have left the “old “behind and entered the “new” – the “newness” of life as the butterfly left his caterpillar form behind and became a new creature – a beautiful butterfly fashioned by the hand of Almighty God.  So, it is with us, touched by the Hand of God. 

Apostle Paul records:

Therefore

if any person is

[ingrafted]

in Christ

(The Messiah)

he is a new creation

(a new creature altogether);

the old

[previous moral and spiritual condition]

has passed away.

Behold, the fresh and new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) 

Reflection #2 - The Beauty of the Butterfly…..When God looks at me and you, He sees His created beauty in each one of us who are fearfully and wonderfully designed in His image.

If you think the butterfly is beautifully and made with thousands of colors and combinations of colors, consider what the Hebrew writer by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says to us:

You have made him (man) (me) for a little while lower than the angels;

You have crowned him (me) with glory and honor, [majesty]

and

have appointed him (me) over the works of Your hands;

Hebrews 2:7 (NASB95)

I inserted (me).  God sees us not as we are but as what He designed us to be – His child who is strengthened, nurtured, loved, and secured in Him each day of our lives. As He cares for the butterfly, how much more He cares for us, loves us, and protects us from the raw elements of living this earthly life.  As the storms of life come upon us, He stretches His wings over us and hides us in the shelter of His mighty hand.  He calls to us and says:

He who dwells

in the

secret place

of the

Most High shall remain

stable and fixed

under the

shadow of the Almighty

          [Whose power no foe can   

                      withstand].

                 Psalm 91:1 (AMP)

Reflection #3 – The Butterfly Wings…..As the butterfly flies around to get His substance from the flowers, God wants us to “mount up as eagles” and fly with Him and move with the Holy Spirit in the directions He wants us to go and the assignments He has waiting for us. 

He wants us spiritually whole and in excellent physical and spiritual health so we can reach out to others and bless them, treat them with kindness, and love them as Jesus loves them. Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

We must remember that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit ride on the wings of love or compassion. The more we exercise our wings of love as the butterfly exercises his wings to find his food, the more we can move in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Fruit of the Holy Spirit.  We will experience the supernatural of God – the extraordinary things of God as presented in the Book of Acts.  Jesus said:

I assure you,

most solemnly I tell you,

if anyone steadfastly

believes in Me,

he will himself be able to do

the things that I do;

and

he will do even greater things than these,

because I go to the Father.

John 14:12 (AMP)

We need to get hold of this truth, decree and declare it, and walk in it.  It is the key missing element in the modern church of today.

Reflection #4 – The Butterfly and the Raindrops!.....As the butterfly flies around he will encounter raindrops coming down on his wings.

 Raindrops can represent the attacks of the world, the world system, the negatives of life, the sin nature, and the powers of darkness upon the followers of Christ. 

These attacks (raindrops) can come like a bowling ball against us with the purpose of attempting to bring us down and drown us in fear, tension, conflict, doubt, unforgiveness, hate, criticalness, pride, arrogance, etc.

But we must be daily reminded what Apostle John wrote to us in this Scripture:

Little children,

you are of God

[you belong to Him]

and

have [already]

defeated

and

overcome them

[the agents of the antichrist],

(Comment: The wicked, haters of God and Christ, demons from hell, etc.}

because

He Who lives in you

is greater (mightier)

(Comment: The Holy Spirit)

than he who is in the world. 

(Comment: Satan and his world forces of evil)

1 John 4:4 (AMP)

Reflection #5 – The Butterfly and the Surface of the Wings!.....As mentioned previously, the butterfly can counter the raindrops by having three things on the wings: (1) tiny black bumps spread out over the wings; (2) wax on the wings; and (3) scales on the wings. 

Raindrops striking the wings break into smaller droplets on the black spots (bumps) and quickly roll off.   The drops of rain, therefore, are no issue to the butterfly.

When we walk daily with Christ by our worship, prayer, and intercession, we will come to observe and experience that the attacks of the flesh, the ways of the world, and the forces of the evil will just roll off and have no impact on our walk with Christ.  We are secured in Him – protected by Him, and sheltered by Him as we cling to the Cross of Christ.

The wax on the wings can represent God’s Word.  Those who daily ponder, digest, and act on (decree and declare) His Word will become waxed over with His revelation, guidance, and direction.  The Word/Wax acts as a preventive in keeping us in alignment with the Word and Ways of Christ. 

The scales on the wings can represent the Armor of God listed in Ephesians Chapter 6 which is given to every believer to resist the rulers, powers, world forces of darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). 

God says to us who are dressed in His Armor:

Who will

stand (rise up) up 

for me against evildoers?

Who will take his stand for me against

those who do wickedness

(workers of iniquity]

Psalm 94:16 (NASB95)

Apostle Peter says: “But resist him, firm in your faith”…..(1^st Peter 5:9 (NASB95).  We resist the devil and his minions by activating the Armor of God….the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, walking out the Gospel of Peace, praying and petitioning, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being on alert by persevering and petitioning for the well-being of the saints (Ephesians 6).                                                                                                                                                  

Reflection #6– The Butterfly and the Changing Light…..The light which the butterfly’s wings emit can represent the Light of Christ who is the Light of the World. 

We are His Light reflecting Him to the unsaved as well as to the saved.  Like the butterfly, everywhere we go we need to reflect the Light of Christ in a world filled with corruption and darkness.  Christ tells us:

You are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

nor does anyone 

light a lamp

and

put it under a basket,

but on the lampstand,

and

it gives light to all who are in the house.

Matthew 5:14-15, (NASB95)

Like the butterfly, the Light in us can change to different colors depending on the circumstances.  For instance, His Light in us can be bright when joyful; it can turn to blue for sadness; it can turn to purple when we worship the King of kings; or it can turn red when we are in spiritual warfare or battles. 

All the other times His Light should be bright white shinning forth the Kingdom of God. It is the Light of Hope for the world to see and experience.  As Apostle Paul exhorts us:

May the God of your

hope

so fill you with all

joy

and

peace 

in believing

[through the experience of your faith]

that by the

power of the Holy Spirit

you may abound and

be overflowing

(bubbling over)

with hope.

Romans 15:13 (AMP)

As we observe these characteristics of the butterfly and the reflections above, let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal additional revelations of the butterfly or the other marvelous things of God’s creation.  He often teaches us through our observations of nature, animals, the stars, the universe, and sea creatures.

Thank you, Jesus, for all You show us in your Creation.

Rich Arnold

Servant of the Lord

311 Adelaide Ave SW

Hartville, Ohio 44632

330-704-9306

richarnold3@gmail.com