Is There More?

On that beautiful summer morning, I had hiked several miles with my 32 lb backpack strapped securely on my back and I was ready for a break. As I was about to walk down into a mountain valley, I paused. I was captured by the breathtaking beauty of a vast bouquet of wild flowers in bloom everywhere.  

In the brilliance of the sunlight butterflies were flitting about landing on one bloom after another.  The excitement of this activity was all around. I wanted to get in on the action, so I picked a few wild flowers and held them out in my hand to see if a butterfly would land on them too. I must have looked quite silly, holding this bouquet high in the air,  then down low near the ground. I made another attempt to hold my bouquet at arms length while holding myself very still. Nothing was working.  

I stood there disappointed, but with these reflective questions running through my mind.  Do I sometimes live my life like this? I observe what is going on around me and desire it for myself. I want in on the action. I work towards that end, with great effort seeking to make it so. I desire for God to bless my efforts. I want God to land on what I offer Him.    

But deeper still, I realized, was the desire for the butterfly to land on my hand, even more than the flowers I was holding. Of course I never considered that a possibility. I wasn’t even aware of that desire. Then my thoughts wandered off on just how that butterfly came to be. It involved a transformation.  

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Finally in frustration, I threw the flowers to the ground, surrendering my pleasurable desire. I stood there dejected, holding my hiking stick to the ground. And then it happened…A butterfly landed on my right hand holding the stick.  (see photo)

I was silenced and frozen in disbelief. It landed on me!!!    

Could it be that God wanted this transforming caterpillar turned butterfly to land on me all along and not what I was holding? Only after I let go of what I was holding on to - my pleasurable will -  did I receive the transforming desire of my heart.  

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalms 37:4

God’s love, joy, peace, and blessing will not land on my efforts, words, or activities. It is me that God is after. He wants to land on me. It is that transforming work of God in me that He desires. My “being” needs transformation.  

God was in that place where I had seen the flowers, butterflies, and beauty. He was in my action to gather the flowers, He was in my desire to experience a butterfly landing. All of that was toward a desired end of God’s and even mine. God desires ME and in this experience I discovered I most desire HIM.    

Call to Me, and I will answer you, 

and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. 

Jeremiah 33:3

PRAYER:  God, You are a good Father, please bring about transformation in me. I desire only You. That is “the more”. You are the more that I want. Amen.

PAUSE:  What are the desires in your life that are the place holders for more of God?

PONDER:  Did I capture a butterfly or did it capture me?