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Last month I ended my greeting in saying that God created us all for a specific purpose and that I would allude to that purpose in this newsletter, but this month's newsletter highlights butterflies, so bear with me for a moment.  It's hard to think of butterflies without thinking of metamorphosis.  How does a tiny egg hatch into a larvae, become a pupa and magically transform into a butterfly?  In the Bible, there are many verses alluding to the fact that all creation proclaims the majesty of God.  And one doesn't need to look very hard in nature to find God's fingerprints all over the place.  When I consider nature, I personally think it takes more faith not to believe in our Creator than it does to believe in Him!  I looked up the definition of metamorphosis and this is what I found: 

1.  Biology. a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa the adult butterfly.

2.  a major change in the appearance or character of someone or something.

I think both definitions apply to our faith in Christ.  Ephesians 1:13-14 talks first about hearing, then believing, and then being marked by the Holy Spirit, a deposit of sorts guaranteeing our eternal salvation.  I liken "hearing" to that little butterfly egg, a seed of faith that was planted somewhere in our life's journey, perhaps by people, perhaps by circumstances, God promptings that settled in our heart and made us think of things beyond ourselves.  At some point, perhaps after nourishment from believers, tragedy that brings us to our knees, or simply God's amazing grace, our seed of faith germinates into belief.  This is like the larvae wrapping itself in a cocoon and becoming a pupa.  Though it takes time for the pupa to transform into a butterfly, faith wise, this transformation is instantaneous.  In the moment that our intellectual acknowledgment of God and Jesus Christ makes its way from our head to our heart, the Holy Spirit immediately transforms us into a new creation, the old is gone and and the new has come...in an instant, we are made perfect in Christ as He continues to make us holy

 (Hebrews 10:14).

Now, for the first time ever, we are able to experience our true purpose in life, which, simply stated, is to bring honor and glory to God, nothing more, and nothing less.  We were created by God, for God, for His glory!  (see Romans 11:36, Colossians 1:16, Isaiah 43:7,21,1, Chronicles 29:11, Revelation 4:11)

If you have been transformed by faith in Christ, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, spread your wings and soar!!!  Prayerfully consider how God uniquely equipped you to bring Him glory.  He has given you a combination of gifts and abilities like no one else on earth (1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4:11-16), all so that you might bear fruit for His name.  Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), but with faith, God can use you in mighty fashion...if you die to yourself and live for Him, you will truly live, and this will ultimately be for your good and His glory!!!

Let the soaring begin...