Looking at the title you might think I am experiencing a morbid day. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have just been reflecting on things learned in the past and comments I have heard or read recently.
Pearls have always been special to me. Worth far more than diamonds in my mind. Many years ago God had me study the ancient art of collecting pearls and it opened some scriptures to me like never before. Since then I have greatly appreciated pearls. But because of recent events in my life, God has added some information that blesses my heart incredibly.
I was thinking about the gates of heaven. I was especially thanking Jesus for choosing to have one of them made of pearl. In my imagination I was thinking that if we get to pick a gate to enter by I would want the pearl one. Then Jesus interrupted my thoughts by saying, “actually in a way all my children enter by the Pearl Gates”.
There are scriptures that tell us to take joy when we have difficulties in our lives because it is producing something in us that comfort cannot. God does not send trouble to us. Jesus let us know that trouble is just in the world. But God will use the trouble to create something wonderful in us if we let HIM. The Christian symbol for that scripture is a pearl. We know that a pearl is formed by an irritant entering the interior of an oyster. The oyster has no way to eliminate the irritant so the oyster begins to form a casing around that irritant so it is localized into only one area. In time that casing holding the irritant becomes a favorite necklace, bracelet, or ring for someone.
At the time, the oyster has no idea it is making something of great beauty and value. It only knows that it has to do something with what has entered uninvited. It instinctively knows to keep that thing confined. When we go through things we might have the tendency to dwell on it so much that it affects everything in our lives. If I was as wise as an oyster I would tell that circumstance it had no power to take over my life and I would deal with it with the Word and Blood of Jesus and encase it so it could not spread. Doing those things and allowing the Holy Spirit to release true joy into my heart causes a beautiful thing to emerge. A life serving God and loving people while under trial is beautiful. And when the circumstance has been totally dealt with there is more value in my life and a deeper understanding of some part of God I had not had to draw upon before.
Since pearl is the Christian symbol for rejoicing under pressure and trial, we all, at one time or another enter the presence of the KING through gates of pearl.