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"WHEN I IN AWESOME WONDER…"
Michigan's Golden Coast
The King...of butterflies
Regaled in orange and black splendor the
lowly monarch butterfly in many ways points to the glory of the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, the LORD Jesus Christ.
Why would a butterfly be counted as part of the wonderful ecosystem of
Michigan's lakeshore, you ask? You may be surprised at the answer. Not
only do they inhabit the clusters of milkweed plants that live on the
lakeshore, but also they use it in many more ways. One October day, when
hiking the lakeshore with fathers and sons from church, including my own
sons, we found hundreds of monarchs on the beach. Alive, but battered
by wind and sand, they would perch on the shoulders and hats of the boys
like so many sparkling jewels slowly and stiffly, because of the cold,
fanning their wings. The boys then would cup them in their hands and warm
them with their breath so that they could continue their halting journey
with a gentle toss into the air. Why were they there? They were the injured
and weary remnants of one of the most fascinating migrations I have ever
heard of.
After several life cycles of egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly,
the last generation has it's reproductive development arrested by the
shortened hours of daylight in the fall so that it can travel to the south
to overwinter, way south in the mountains of Mexico. All the surviving
monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains travel thousands of miles to gather
in only two mountain valleys up high in the Sierra Madre mountains near
Mexico City. At a steady speed of twenty to thirty miles per hour in all
kinds of weather some begin their journey in southern Canada, travel along
the shore of Lake Michigan, where we found them, and continue on to hibernate
in Mexico. There, the longer daylight hours cause their reproductive organs
to finish development so that they can lay eggs when they again return
from their journey.
In the valleys, there are so many perched on the trees and forest floor
that they cover nearly every square inch of surface, sometimes hanging
from each other in great golden drapes. A Mexican friend who lived there
told me it was an incredible sight to see the acres and acres of slowly
moving wings flashing golden in the sun. The area is now designated as
a national park for their protection. You can find pictures of this sight
in the National Geographic magazines of 1975 when they discovered this
secret after nearly forty years of searching.
Now I know that the butterfly with its lifecycle is a beautiful picture
of the death and resurrection of God's people. However, I am awed and
humbled by this spectacular manifestation of the power of the Creator
in this migration. Imagine, a lowly insect able to travel such great distances
with such accuracy having only God's navigational system built into its
genes. It did not learn its path from parents or follow others. New generations
travel this way every year. No evolutionist can explain such a wonder.
God alone is the source of this great migration. Even worldly scientists
are amazed at this inexplicable phenomenon.
If our Creator can so guide the butterfly how much more can He and does
He guide the lowly human worms that are called to serve Him. Surely we
can put our trust in His Fatherly care. If He can bring the frail monarch
through all the dangers of this incredible journey, how much more can
He bring us safely home to our eternal resting place. We are humbled at
so great a God.
Monarch
Like the monarch in regal array,
Wings its journey from day to day.
So His people through dangers all,
Wing their way to heavens portal.
Strengthened along each weary step,
Burdened with cares that oft could wreck,
They find Him in a solace deep.
For like the monarch their souls He keeps.
Till like the butterfly in robes of gold,
In robes of white we enter His fold.
By: Deane Wassink
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