The Pearl

God has shown me something recently. Something that
many others have known for some time, but so many
have not seen this as I did not. And I want to pass it on to
those who do not realize exactly who and what they are in and to God.

Matthew 13:45 " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
Matthew 13:46 "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Now, it has always been my understanding that Jesus was
the pearl of great price. Yes, He is a pearl of exquisite beauty.
But what God has shown me is that He is not what this verse was talking about. For what could we possibly give that could buy Him or His love.

No, the pearl of great price in this is YOU, ME and ALL of
us.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

He paid the price, He gave all that He had to purchase our freedom. To free us from the bonds of sin and condemnation. He shed His own precious blood for each one of us.

Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed.

John 17:26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

In other words, with the same love that God loved His Son

That's how much He loves us!
The same as He loves the Son!!
And that love will be in us!
It will be developed and perfected in us.

Have you ever seen an oyster?
They are not very pretty, they are rough, have sharp edges and very hard shells. You would never expect to find anything of beauty in it, would you? But when you get it open there is a pearl, it is dirty and rough also. But when it is cleaned and polished it is beautiful.

When we first come to Christ we are not beautiful. We are ugly, stained with sin, and very hard shelled.

When we come to Him He breaks the shell, knowing of the prize within. He takes that prize and cleans and polishes it until it is beautiful. He cleans away all the scum and dirt and grime and grinds its rough edges until it is a gem of perfection. This sometimes will seem like a long time. We expect to be changed instantly. Some are, some take time to grow. But God is working in us to remove all the filth, hurts and pains from the past.

So when we see someone who is ugly like an oyster, or we feel ourselves as ugly, perhaps we need to pray to see the person or ourselves as God sees, an oyster with a valuable pearl inside, hidden beneath a tough ugly shell.

If, when we see someone who is deep in sin, hard as a rock and toss it aside, what pearl of beauty may we be missing?

Not all oysters have pearls, but they have the makings of pearls that can be developed with His love and care. And so it may be with some people.

Or someone who is afraid and closes their shell tightly. This may even be ourselves at certain times in our lives. We think we are ugly, we are told there is no hope for us, that God will never forgive us, and we have no hope. Or we have been badly hurt by someone. So we close ourselves up to protect the soft inner portion, just as an oyster does.

Oysters take a certain kind of knife to pry the shell apart. For it has very strong muscles that keep it shut and protect the soft inner part. However, the love of the Holy Spirit and God the Father is that knife that can pry the shell open and find the beauty hidden inside. And when it is found, it is cleaned and polished until it is that perfect gem.

We are the pearl that has been found by the love of Jesus. And we are bound together with the string of His love, making a beautiful necklace. One that our Father delights in and He rejoices over us with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!