VERY SPRING I PLAN AND plant a butterfly garden. Last spring, however, holds some special surprises and lessons.

I purchase from a local nursery several plantings of milkweed, the prime food on which the monarch butterfly rears its young. Since the toxic milkweed is not used by most gardeners, it takes some research to find a grower who stocks it.

After carrying my purchases to the greenhouse and placing them on the potting shelf, I inspect them with anticipation of the creatures they will attract in my garden. To my amazement and delight, I discover a stowaway. There on a half-nibbled leaf, hidden by foliage, is a beautiful green-and-yellow caterpillar. What a bonus for me! In the days ahead I will watch this baby perform its miracle of rebirth right before my eyes.

I prepare a large cardboard box for a nursery and place the plant and larva inside. Just in case the baby decides to wander, I cover the box with a layer of cheesecloth. During the days that follow, my husband and I watch this voracious little creature grow as it munches away the leaves of the life-sustaining milkweed.

“Munchie” grows to about two inches when we notice one morning that it is no longer on the plant but has attached itself by a silken thread to the cheesecloth above the plant. We observe the pupation phase in fascination. Entranced, we see Munchie enclose itself in a jade-green purse (chrysalis) and zip itself in with a golden thread.

I clip the section of cheesecloth supporting the purse and tape it to a twig. I put the twig across a large, wide-mouth crock in our kitchen so we won’t miss any of the metamorphic process.

In about 10 days the purse becomes dark. Actually it’s transparent, and what we see is a butterfly magically about to emerge. If we look close enough, we can distinguish orange-and-black wings through the encasement.

We don’t want to miss this spectacular reentry into the world. However, in a brief moment of preoccupation on our part, it happens. Turning to glance at the purse, I am startled to see that this wondrous event has taken place without our notice! There it appears in all its glory—a magnificent monarch, a marvelous miracle of God!

It clings upside down to the empty cocoon as it pumps fluid through its fragile wings, some of the orange-colored liquid dripping onto the bottom of the crock below. With its wings sufficiently dried, the butterfly moves to the top of the twig.

Hoping this lovely creature will honor me by making my garden its home, I take it outside to bask in the sun. Gently I place it on a blossom and linger awhile, admiring the contrast of orange and black against the blue flower.

As I revel in this lovely creation I contemplate the power involved. This extraordinary power is not unlike that which changes a sinner into a born-again believer. Jesus’ followers feed on the bread of life, upon His Word, reflecting the light of His presence.

Familiar texts take on a fresh meaning for me: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).* “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4, 5).

I think of the Saviour’s passion week; how His earthly life ended on the cross and He was buried only to burst forth from the dark tomb, triumphantly transformed as King of kings—the Monarch of the universe.

“But if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). What a promise! And how real it has become through the monarch. I am reminded of my own transformation into a born-again Christian. And I am still being transformed, awaiting that glorious body when “in the twinkling of an eye” “we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52). And like the butterfly we’ll be airborne with Him, abiding with Him forever.

What wonder! I’m the result of that same great Power present at the Creation, present in the resurrection. I am His new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17, NIV).

*Unless otherwise noted, Scripture references are from the New King James Version.

_________________________
Alberta Bennett Ciccarelli writes from Paso Robles, California.