Wings of Resilience

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)

As I walked towards the old barn, something fluttered underneath the foundation. It was hot, and I was in a hurry, but expecting to find an elusive stray kitten, I got on my hands and knees to investigate.

It wasn’t a kitten’s tail that I had seen, but the wing of a butterfly who was entangled in a spider’s web. Hanging upside down, weak, and seemingly without hope, she appeared listless. Other than the occasional movement of her one free wing, she seemed resolved that she would never know her normal life again. Would she ever feel the wind beneath her wings again? Would she be able to enjoy beautiful flowers again? At this moment, her future did not seem very promising.

Normal life. Don’t we miss ours? Simple things like visiting family, going out to eat, going to church, going to work or school without worry or fear. These are things that we once took for granted. Will we ever be able to return to our normal routine?

As I gently freed the delicate butterfly from the tangled web, I wondered if she was going to survive this ordeal. I held her in my hand and offered her some water. I then put her down in a shady spot and watched as she regained strength and began to walk. After a few minutes, she began to move her wings. When I checked on her an hour later, I smiled as she flew to a low-lying branch on a nearby tree. Her resilience amazed me. Holding this fragile creature in my hand reminded me of the song that we all learned as children, ”He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

So if we find ourselves caught in the web of fear, anxiety, or depression, we should remember that God is holding each of us in His hand. Just as this butterfly accepted water from me, aren’t we thankful that God offered each of us Living Water, in His Son, Jesus Christ?

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

Thank you Lord for reminding us that we belong to you!

Copyright © 2020 April Gilliam Pope, used with permission.