The other day I was driving to work when out of the blue, I begin to think about Heaven and the size of its gates. Revelations says, “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl”. I spent the next couple of days with this rolling over and over in mind so with that, I sat down to do a little research on how a pearl is created.
I found that the accepted explanation of a pearls beginning is that a grain of sand enters the shell of an oyster and the oyster then turns it into a pearl. However, this is rarely the case, it does happen but very rarely. Studies have found that a pearl is formed when an irritant, usually a parasite enters the oyster’s shell and begins to irritate the oyster. The oyster begins to coat the parasite with a fluid called ‘nacre’ until a beautiful pearl is formed. The thing that stood out to me was that an unwelcomed organism is the source of the irritation. An uninvited stranger.
As I looked a little further, I found an oyster isn’t able to begin this process until it’s three years old and then, it takes another three years to fully complete the process. I found it interesting that the oyster could potentially have to live with this irritation for up to three years before it could begin to do something to change its situation. Then, it still has to suffer another three years with this uninvited guest until it’s no longer the aggravator in the oyster’s shell.
Considering this, I was reminded of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 7-9 where he said, “…There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, …” 8 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness….”
Was Paul our proverbial oyster? Was the messenger of Satan his proverbial parasite? Was the Lord telling him to coat his thorn in the flesh with the ‘nacre’ of his grace?
I can’t help but wonder after the symbol of Heaven’s gates of pearl. Is this another sign from God saying, “Enter in through the gates of My Grace”?
Lord, help me to accept the thorns you have for me that I may enter your gates of Grace.
The Master's Crumbs 