May 05 - The Mysterious Journey

May 2005

The Mysterious Journey

Did you know the Monarch butterfly travels from The northern parts of New York State all the way to parts of Mexico?

The most amazing part of this mystery is that these butterflies arvive up to six generations later that actually complete the trip. Butterflies lay about 300 eggs in their lifetime and the offspring from these butterflies continue the migration having never seen their destination.

In the same way our migration, or better said, our “journey home” (to heaven) and everlasting life is much the same. We’ve never been there but we continue to travel there all the same. As believers we can’t help but do it. It is a journey of faith.

In Hebrews chapter 11 is written what some have referred to as the Bible’s Faith Hall of Fame. Various people of the Scriptures are described in relation to their active belief.

Hebrews 11-15

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

(New International Version)

This journey isn’t a simple or easy one. Faith doesn’t appear to be an active trait at times in our lives as the Bible deems it should be. So then how inspiring the butterfly is to us! It metamorphoses through the four stages of life (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult) producing offspring in keeping with its species to continue the journey never knowing beforehand where the ending will be. Let us be like the beautiful butterfly who is a picture to us of a journey of faith.

Look at the Word of God to gain strength for the journey:

2 Corinthians 4

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

(New International Version)

Lisa DeLay