Truly a Miracle

Recently as a family we "adopted" 5 Monarch Butterfly caterpillars. Each one had his/her own jar, own fresh supply of milkweed leaves, and are now either in a chrysalis or is now flying around as a butterfly. But how does this happen?   

What I mean is this. The caterpillar grows, sheds its skin, then grows, sheds its skin, then grows, sheds its skin, grows, sheds it skin, then grows. Four times it will shed its skin and then grow again. Now, the last time it sheds its skin, the chrysalis is revealed to exist below the 5th and final layer of skin. And but the caterpillar seems to know this as it attaches itself to the underside of a leaf (stem, jar lid, etc.) and hangs upside down in the shape of a "J" for 12-15 hours. 

Suddenly the skin splits, and the caterpillar does a "dance" to make the skin drop away, and then voila you have a chrysalis. But how does the caterpillar "know" to hang upside down, when shedding the 5th and last skin? It didn't do it with the other skins. So how does it know this one is different?  

Scientifically it may be in the DNA. Generally, it may be instinct. No matter what, it certainly looks like it is programmed to do what it does. Seeing one is interesting. Seeing five do the exact same things, around the same time of day, you begin to see a pattern that appears to be "programmed." And to program something requires intelligence, design and purpose.  

Science today still does not know exactly how the caterpillar becomes a butterfly. It is a miracle. It is a miracle of God. He designed it. He created it. He gave it purpose. So let us celebrate it. 

Until next time. Enjoy God's great outdoors. 


PT

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