Strands Of Pearls
Living for God is like the struggle involved when becoming a pearl. Pearls are formed when an organic irritant becomes trapped in the mollusk. It can be the result of an injury or an intruding parasite. The animal senses the foreign object and coats it with two materials, a mineral and a protein, that results in mother-of-pearl, the substance called nacre (NAY ker). Christians battle torments from without and within; they stand against persecutors; their faith fights against disease and attacks against the mind and spirit. It's rather like that piece of matter that finds itself surrounded in the oyster shell. We spend our lives standing for our Lord Jesus Christ, as He constantly surrounds us, enfolds us, and covers us, so like the forming pearl.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like a merchant
looking for fine pearls."
Heaven is the goal line, our forever home, the Eden mankind lost, the golden streets and Angel-filled paradise, for which we long, strive, pray, and dream. And, heaven searches for its pearls; the white robes are starched and ready; the trees hang with the weight of fruit for the healing of the Nations; the Angels rehearse their welcoming bridal march; and the clock ticks in anticipation of the arrival of "fine pearls."
The mineral and protein used to coat the pearl are like the Word of God that covers and protects us, and the Spirit of God that nurtures and sustains us through life's storms and trials. We are ever and always "becoming" vessels of honor unto the Lord, and as we take the hands of new souls, we form a "strand," an infantry of soldiers, warring together, praying together, and rejoicing together until that glorious day approaches.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden
in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again,
and then in his joy went and sold all he had and
bought that field." (Matthew 13:44)
People in the world, rich and poor alike, strive all of their days for more and more grandeur, more and more assets, arts and their values, properties, mansions and islands, and above that, position, power, and fame, but nothing ... nothing, can equal the value of the kingdom of heaven. To come to the Lord Jesus Christ in humility and repentance; to be filled with His Spirit and speak with other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance; and to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins are the ticket and the entrance to the eternal Eden for all mankind.
For the Christian, this period before the Rapture of the Church is "our tribulation." We are tried, molded, sanded, stretched, cleansed, broken, and sanded again. The process is formulated over and over in evey area of our lives until we are ready for the "thief in the night," who comes for that thing of value, that polished "pearl" and we are whisked away in the moment in the twinkling of an eye to that place of Glory. Following behind are multitudes of glistening, glowing vessels, God's Bride, His "Strands of Pearls," now fit to walk through Heaven's Gates of Pearl.
By Sheryl Fowler
(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.
PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)
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