Majesty

Majesty. What do you think of when you hear that word? I think of purple mountains rising above a sea of smoky haze, the sunrise exploding with vibrant color to usher in a new day, the intricate transforming life cycle of a butterfly, and all the beauty and vastness of this universe we live in. Most of all though…my thoughts focus on our Creator God!

Genesis 1:3, says, Then God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. God spoke the universe into existence! The Majesty of His voice, the Power in His Words created everything.

The voice of the LORD is powerful. The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. Psalm 29:4 NKJV

Wow! Doesn’t that make you sit up and take notice? We have His Majesty all around us. There are so many vibrant colors, textures, and signs of His creative genius that it makes my heart swell in awe and wonder!

I have had the spectacular privilege these past few years to witness up close the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. It is truly majestic! They start from a tiny egg, barely the size of the head of a pin, carefully laid on the underside of a tender milkweed leaf. When disturbed milkweed oozes a sticky, milk-like substance that is toxic to most creatures. The caterpillar hatches and feeds exclusively on milkweed, initially on only the fine hairs under the leaf. Then it moves onto the actual leaf. Yet, the caterpillar instinctively knows through God’s excellent plan, how much to munch without breaking through into a vein. If it broke through, the milk would glue its’ tiny jaws shut and it would die.

The caterpillar goes through five instar stages, growing from about 1/10 of an inch to sometimes more than 2 inches as it reaches the end of this caterpillar stage. It is amazing to watch as the caterpillar hangs upside down in a “J” formation. Soon it wiggles and squirms to shed the skin one last time revealing a beautiful green chrysalis or exoskeleton.

Then all appears quiet for several days. As each day goes by, many wonderful changes are underway! We cannot see what is going on inside, but God knows and the metamorphosis continues. It may seem like all the newly forming creation can see is darkness. That may be right, but it trusts the process.
I think we can be like that. Sometimes we cannot make sense of life. It seems dark. We are truly in darkness until the Light of Jesus shines into our lives-then we too, burst forth as a new creation!

We can see the orange & black of the wings! Almost ready to burst forth!!

When black and orange are visible through the membrane of the chrysalis, a breakout is near. Upon emerging, the wings are tiny and wet.

Drying her wings

Much energy is needed to pump the wings up to full size. Like the butterfly emerging, our “wings” are small and need to be pumped. Pumped with the power and majesty of God running through our lives. As the Monarch stretches her wings, so we too must stretch our faith and trust, and as we do…we grow and fly.

This is only a tiny part of the glorious world that God has created for us! It is far from stagnant and boring. It is as Majestic as our God is!

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1 Amp.

I hope you take a moment to witness His Majesty firsthand in the beauty and splendor all around you. It is truly breathtaking!

My new friend!

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Abounding

I have been mulling this word, abounding, over and over for the past month. I have scribbled a few thoughts here and there and have not gotten back to fully investigate it until today. I love that word, abounding…it is a word so full that it overflows in my mind and fills my heart with wonder.

Last year I was abounding in Monarch caterpillars! Thank You Jesus!

The dictionary says abounding means to have or possess in a great quantity; existing in or providing a great or plentiful quantity or supply, abundant. Teeming with, swarming, and thronging are some synonyms.

Abound appears 30 times in the Bible is various forms.

Few things in life are abounding until God becomes a real part of our lives. Then we begin to see that He lavishes on His children many wonderful things, starting with love and faithfulness.

Even things that seem so simple, yet are a joy. God has lavished on me many Monarch caterpillars through the years. Last year I was abounding in them, with over 120 healthy, hungry babies that grew, went through their metamorphosis and emerged as beautiful butterflies!!

Psalm 86:15 NIV says, “But You, LORD, are a compassionate and loving God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”

In an earlier blog post, I have talked about how much God loves you and I. I think He loves to make us smile! He is abounding in love and faithfulness. To abound in love is to have a great attachment to and great affection for. God is not stingy in His love for us. It abounds, it pours out onto us because God’s very nature is love.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV

God is able. He is the One who makes His Grace abound to us. Abound so that we will have the ability in abundance to do every good work that He calls us to do. WOW!

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NKJV

Be encouraged! God is the one Who fills us—fills us to OVERFLOWING with all HIS BEST…all we have to do is say “YES! I Believe! Yes!

May you ABOUND in HOPE by the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT.