ladybug

Junior

This was a doctor’s office first.

The room was superbly sterilized, and I was nervously flipping the pages of a magazine when I saw something move across the floor. Tiny as it was, its color caught my attention. Wrapped in its itsy-bitsy armor, colored red with black dots, a ladybug was crawling across the floor.

Obviously, he’d taken a wrong turn outside and was lost.

My thoughts fluttered . . .

  • How did he end up on the fourth floor of a medical building?
  • How long had he been missing?
  • Did his parents know he had been out all night?

Because it was early spring, there had to be ladybug spring fests everywhere and little Junior was missing; in fact, he had to be absolutely lost.

I kept my eye on Junior through the appointment in hopes that I could give him a lift homeward.

As the doc left, I snatched a paper towel and leaned over toward the bug.

I gently scooped him up. Wouldn’t you know, that tiny insect did a ladybug “stop, tuck, and roll” move; defending himself as ladybugs do when confronted by a potential predator.

I carried the rolled-up ladybug on the paper towel down the elevator and released him onto the sun-drenched, shiny green leaves outside.

What was lost had been found and returned to safety.

Ladybugs and God’s Grace

We can learn much from Junior because Junior represents something in all of us.

We are lost, fearful, and without hope for rescue unless we entrust our lives to Christ. On our own, we end up lost in many ways . . . physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially, personally, and mentally—to name a few.

The very worst is when we are lost spiritually, when we’ve lost hope, or trust, or faith that God is real and on a rescue mission purposed to save us.

  • In these moments, we are often afraid.
  • Fear causes us to believe we can rescue ourselves through our own control, power, skill, knowledge, ability, strength, or what have you.
  • Yet this very moment, Christ’s eyes are on you, and He is reaching out to rescue you.

Right now, say “Lord, I trust you to save me, to bring me through. I surrender my life to you.”

You’ve just been rescued!

Comfort from God’s Word

I’ve been lost many times. During one such season of profound pain, the Lord directed me to this passage, rescuing me from fear and doubt.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” . . .

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:1–2, 14–16 NIV)

Let Me Hear from You

If you are lost or afraid or running away from Christ, will you let me know? I would love to share other words of hope which are sure to restore, repair, renew, and reveal that God is our sure and safe refuge.

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