Cocoon of Grace

If asked the question what is the definition of the word Cocoon? We would find meanings such as:  “To bind tightly, a protective covering, a casing, a shelter.”  The next question posed might be “what exactly goes on inside a cocoon?”  If you have the pleasure of observing a cocoon it looks like nothing is happening and it is just hanging out so to speak but that is not the case at all. There is quite a bit of commotion going on inside that little casing, cocoon or chrysalis.  Let’s look at the butterfly for instance.  The caterpillar’s  body is broken down before it can become a new creature. It actually digests itself into a liquid where some cells eventually become the anatomy of the butterfly. Then it pushes itself or cuts its way through the protective covering.

WOW! Isn’t that what we experience when we accept Jesus as our savior? Think about it. The moment we accept Jesus the Bible tells us that we are new creatures and that the old has passed away and all things have become new. We push or cut away from our old nature but unlike the butterfly we are going through changes or metamorphous  every day.  As we are going through these changes I see us surrounded by a cocoon of grace. Grace is the unmerited favor or the unconditional love of God.  What does grace have to do with a cocoon you may ask?” Well, we are of the understanding that the cocoon is a protective covering or shelter that keeps the caterpillar safe from the outside elements as it is changing.  You could say that our outside element is the enemy always prowling around like a roaring lion.  He is always trying to condemn us and throw those fiery darts at us by saying we are not good enough, we will never measure up, or we will always fall short from the new creature God destined us to be BUT Romans 8:1 tell us, “There is no condemnation for those that belong to Christ Jesus.”  Isn’t it encouraging to know that when Christ died for us, He died for our sins, past present and future, we no longer live under the curse.  If that isn’t a cocoon of grace then I don’t know what is.

Maybe you are reading this and you never accepted Christ as your Savior.  I’m telling you, you can live in that cocoon of grace.  I don’t care what you done or are doing in your life, Jesus loves you.  Ok, so you may be in sin but my Jesus hates the sin but loves the sinner. Just accept Him and let Him do the rest. Don’t buy into the lie that you need to clean up your act or change your lifestyle before you can accept Him. Jesus will meet you right where you are. At the same time, I am not saying you can just live anyway you want. Paul states in Romans 6:1 “So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there?  Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good?” Ok, I know it is a somewhat confusing but this is what I discovered. Once you grasp the concept of grace, the more willing you are to let the Lord makes changes in you.  At the same time you begin to fall in love with Him and find you are making choices that you know will please him.  Just be willing to be willing.  You may be that caterpillar right now but the Lord wants to change you into that beautiful butterfly if you will let him. Just take into account, the caterpillar changing into the butterfly did not happen overnight. Furthermore I am not implying your life will be easy from now on but I promise you, it will be the best decision you will ever make in your life.  Just tell Him to come into your life and let your new life begin. I am talking from experience.  Every day I am changing more and more. Have I completed the process?  No, we complete the process when we go home with the Lord.  Again, it is a day by day progression and I make mistakes everyday but I am enjoying the journey, with the knowledge that I am loved and accepted just the way I am  but at the same time I am allowing the Lord to finished the change he started in me.  Take a step in faith and take the journey with me, knowing without a doubt that we are sheltered by a cocoon of grace.  I will say it one more time.  He loves you and He is waiting for you just as you are.