Hear Joni talk about how butterflies point not only to God’s divine creativity, but the resurrection.
SHAUNA: Hi, this is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. And Joni, isn’t it amazing that everything in life points to Jesus?
JONI: Yes, absolutely! I believe that when God created this wonderful world, he created everything in it to glorify himself. He made the world so that we would look at part of his creation, admire it, and then make much of the one who designed it. Whether roses, wheat fields, puffy clouds on a bright blue day, lofty mountains, sun-dappled lawns, rivers, and babbling brooks, or even squirrels, or golden retrievers, horses, and more – all of it glorifies God. It magnifies some aspect of God that bowls us over. Things in nature glorify God’s creativity, his design, his might, his majesty, and his tenderness and peace. Rare and beautiful things in nature should take our breath away, always making us grateful for the Lord Jesus, the one through whom all things were made. Okay, I mentioned horses and [what], beavers, and birds, but I should add butterflies. Because to me, butterflies point not only to divine creativity, but to, well, yes, even the resurrection. Like, isn’t it remarkable how a squirmy, little caterpillar dies [as it were] inside a chrysalis only to be transformed into a pretty little thing that can fly?
And I wonder if God was thinking of butterflies when he inspired the Apostle Paul to write 2 Corinthians 5:17 where it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation [I mean, right there, isn’t’ that incredible?].” Okay, so, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Now, when I read 2 Corinthians 5, I can easily picture a butterfly. Its old, shriveled, little caterpillar self has gone; it’s dead. And its identity has completely changed. It is now something new: a glorious, winged creature.
So, perhaps God was thinking of butterflies when he inspired the Apostle Paul to write 2 Corinthians 5:17. Who can say? All I know is that scripture inspired me to paint the idea of the resurrection, using a caterpillar and butterfly. First, I painted a lifeless butterfly pinned to a board, representing how we are dead in our sin. Then I rendered a caterpillar and a chrysalis. And next, I painted a brand-new butterfly emerging from that dark shell with wet wings. It’s a mystery how that transformation happens. It’s a change that even scientists cannot unravel, and it is a great illustration of what mysteriously happens to us who were once dead in our sins but now have been made alive in Christ. What a miracle. I call my painting New Life. And I’ve posted a video and a picture of it on my radio page today. And I hope you’ll tell your friends to go to joniradio.org to enjoy it.
SHAUNA: Because friend, if you’re trying to describe to a family member or friend what it means to become a Christian, Joni’s painting is a great tool to explain the process from spiritual death to spiritual life; how Christ completely transform us, from the old to the new creation. So, go to joniradio.org today and be inspired.
JONI: And take a few minutes to enjoy this special video with me at my art easel. It’s where I’m explaining all the steps involved in rendering this unusual piece of art. And again, if you have got a friend who enjoys artwork, share the video with them. Explain to them the beauty of 2 Corinthians 5:17, illustrated through a painting of a butterfly and its stages of development. It’s all there for you at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends