Blogging from A to Z: Fireflies and faith

Fireflies have shed a little light on Easter for me. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Each night when I take Hershey out to “do his biz-ness” I’m reminded of the firefly’s amazing ability to light up the night. The have a unique gift and offer a flickering dance that draws me closer to God. Unlike me, fireflies are not native to Denver – they are a benefit of living in hot, humid Indiana.

Fireflies are cool! There are over 2,000 species of fireflies and their light patterns are unique to each species. Fireflies blink in code to help them find firefly romance. Their ability to flash also protects them against predators, reminding them that they taste awful (thankfully, I can’t substantiate this fact). Their ability to glow involves a light organ under their abdomen that takes in oxygen and combines it with luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. (Our energy experts in Washington could learn a few things from the firefly!) Scientists aren’t sure how they turn their lights on and off – it’s a mystery! (National Geographic).

This Easter I am reminded of the true meaning of faith. I don’t know how the firefly lights up its belly or determines its pattern. In the dark, I do see the effects of the firefly as it flickers on and off. Fireflies are a sign of faith to me. I’ll be puttering along in the dark and then the brief light makes me take notice. I have to pay attention or I could easily miss the wonder. It’s the same with God’s presence. God’s blessings are all around me. Blessings like my family and treasured friends. The unconditional love of my cats and puppy, Hershey. The challenging yet rewarding job that I have and the intelligent, wise people that teach me something new each day. God meets my individual needs as only he can know them, just like the patterns he instills in the fireflies, unique to each.

However, if I’m focused on myself, it’s possible that I won’t notice God’s presence. If I lived in Jesus’ time, heard him speak and saw him heal the sick, I hope that I would have believed that he was the Messiah. However, I know the many times that Christ’s spirit has been with me and yet I chose not to let him impact my life. Often, I’m too full of myself and worry and I miss the growth, lessons and gifts from God because I don’t see what’s right in front of me.

I pray that this Easter season, I will believe because I have seen Christ’s love in my life. I have noticed the blinking pattern of God’s light and have responded with love accordingly.