Birds, Frogs, and Butterflies

Romans 8:18-23,

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

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Yesterday, my wife was going through some boxes and found the following letter I had written in the 1990s to a friend who had turned against me. I wrote it but didn’t send it.

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Birds, Frogs, and Butterflies

All of creation knows Jesus and why He came to earth. Not only does it know Him, but it also knows us. The creation knows we are deeply loved by our God and Savior. It waits eagerly to witness our redemption.

The past three years have been very lonely. I have a chair outside that I sit in to pray and wait before the Lord. One day I was feeling extremely lonely and asked the Lord to please send me a friend. Immediately three blue jays flew into the yard and started walking around in front of me, and the Lord said, “I have sent you three friends.” I got up and walked to within three feet of these wild birds and they didn’t budge. It was as if I was one of the guys.

A few days later I saw two doves sitting on a power line. I asked the Lord to please forgive my unbelief and please let me know He had sent the blue jays by sending these two doves also. They didn’t come then, but two or three days later I saw them in the same place again. The second I laid eyes on them the Holy Spirit lovingly witnessed to my heart and these two beautiful creatures flew over and walked around with the blue jays and me. The three blue jays and the two doves, along with many of their friends, have been visiting me for more than two years now. Butterflies have since joined the group and a tree in our yard is almost covered with them when they are here. When white ones come the Lord lets me know and points them out to me.

Late one evening after all this started the Lord sent me another friend. I was sitting on the ground when a frog hopped along in front of me. I got all excited when I saw him and scared the poor little thing. He came to a dead stop and sat motionless about three feet from me. I started talking to him, trying to comfort him. But he was so frightened he wouldn’t move. Finally, I asked, “Do you know my God?” That precious little creature immediately recognized me, and hopped over and sat down about eight inches from my left leg. He stayed there a few minutes while I tried to tell God how grateful I was that He had comforted this little fellow that I had unintentionally frightened. This little frog has visited me many, many times. By the grace of God, we are truly friends. All these friends come almost every day. The creation truly does know us.

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My wife and I have been talking about the birds and frogs and butterflies who used to visit me and a couple of memories came to us:

1 The doves and blue jays would sit on the fence together and browse on the ground together. There was never a power struggle at any time.

2. I never fed them a thing. I seem to recall that I put a water tray out for them after they had been coming for a while.

3. My wife would sometimes come outside when they were with me and every time she did, they would fly away. When she went back inside they would return. I felt bad about that because I wanted her to get to know them, but they would have no part in it.

4. It started with three blue jays and two mourning doves and grew to be an average of maybe fifteen birds that would come to see me each day. They stayed with me for approximately one to two hours each day.

5. After dark the frog would come to sit with me. I loved that little guy so much. We had some good times talking about the Lord and the things of God.

I know some of this may sound like I’m a lunatic, but it’s the absolute truth. I have not made up a thing or exaggerated a thing. This is something God did for me when I was at my lowest, eaten alive with PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, and my best friend had forsaken me. God knows those who are His and He most certainly watches over them.

I share these things and everything else I write to acknowledge the love of God and to encourage His people to trust in Him with their whole hearts. He is faithful.

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant

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Published by Jon David Banks