Fly Free

My daughter and I join the task of Monarch butterfly 

conservation every summer. We eagerly await the 

arrival of our first egg laying female and quickly 

harvest her eggs off our milkweed patch to protect 

them from predators. We then house the hungry 

caterpillars, feed, clean their cages daily, take notations on their progress an

number the butterfly releases. It's a big job!

 
The most exciting time for us is during the Fall when the yellow, orange and red 

leaves of trees collide with a brilliant blue backdrop of the sky. The change of 

season means that all our emerging Monarch butterflies, with their own brilliant 

display of Fall colors, will be making their long journey to the overwintering 

grounds in Mexico. 


Last week we had three butterflies emerge right before a cold front blew through.

Not only did we have to keep them sheltered from heavy rain and high winds but 

also had to prepare a daily mix of honey water to keep them fed and hydrated. We 

kept a close eye on the weather to wait for an opportunity to release. 


Today was the day! We were thrilled to see those butterflies take flight. We had 

put so much time and effort in caring for them yet we knew they were meant for so

much more. They were created to fly free! 


And so it is with us. We can become entrapped and enslaved to sin, prisoners in 

chains that keep us from being the person God created us to be. We may feel 

comfortable in our current situation but like our Monarch butterflies, unless we 

are set free eventually it is a death sentence. Paul wrote "We know that our old 

life died with Christ on the cross so that our sinful selves would have no power 

over us and we would not be slaves to sin" Rom 6:6 (NCV) 

Reap the gift of freedom through repentance. Jesus can break the power of sin in 

our lives. Creator God is ready to cheer on our flight. Let's drop these chains 

and like the Monarch, fly free!