A WARM EVENING FIREFLY DANCE

Firefly, Internet Domain
Mason Jar Fireflies, Internet Domain

A Native American legend relates that fireflies were created when a great thunder and lightning storm shook several stars from the sky. When they fell headlong to the earth below they broke into a multitude of very small pieces which blinked on and off. Hence, some folks also call them lightning bugs. Others say that fireflies were created by God simply for the amusement of children on warm summer evenings. Many childhood memories are created by chasing the Morse code flashes through neighborhood backyards. The magical treasures are placed into Mason canning jars filled with fresh grasses. The jar lids were poked with ice picks to permit oxygen to enter. Little did we know that the oxygen was a key catalyst in the bioluminescence process that activated other chemicals released in the insect’s lower abdomen to produce light.

Firefly eggs hatch into a larval stage, then pupate and emerge as adults in about two weeks, somewhat similar to butterflies emerging from cocoons. The miraculous transition from crawling creatures to magnificent flying artists has captured the imagination of humans for all time. This transformation represents the new birth and soaring flight of the human spirit and soul as God’s kingdom and spirit begins to grow within everyone who has accepted our creator God as their Heavenly Father. These messengers of the moment demonstrate that change, growth, courage and trust enable untested wings to soar on the wind with eagles. Their joyous dance in the air beckons the smallest child to join the warm evening firefly dance and celebrate life!

My daughter and I were sitting on the backyard deck at home discussing the contemporary worship service we were going to direct the following Sunday morning. I was sharing a message on the three senses of God’s Kingdom that I had been studying recently. She was creating a “prayer for the people” at the beginning of the service. The heat and light of the early June evening were slowly diminishing. As we sat at the table, one of the first blinking heralds of the season flew into our line of sight and casually zig zagged in our midst until it had our rapt attention. And then the delicate winged spirit creature left as abruptly as it arrived.

Suddenly my daughter had the inspiration for a prayer of thanks for the simple priceless joys of the season, like fireflies, iced sweet tea and our relationships. I validated the illumination God provides within all of us to a metamorphosis rebirth of discovery in His kingdom; He lights our path through the darkness to a better reality for our life on earth today; and at our spiritual journey’s end, our winged soul departs and is carried on the wind to a beautiful forever.