The Wall That Karen Built
Good morning It is Friday, July 30, 2021.
Yesterday I talked a little bit about my sister Karen.
She is the type of sister that loves to get busy and “do”. Last March, during spring break, she built a beautiful retainer wall for me.
Last March when she finished, she made the statement, “This shall today and forever more be known as “Karen’s Wall.” I had the plaque made in her honor.
I have a dear friend who several years ago was talking about a free trip he had won. We sat and listened in awe to all the details of this dream-come-true, trip-of-a-lifetime. It was all-expense paid, including first-class airfare.
It was to a gorgeous island, lush with exotic plants and flowers. The weather was , sunny, and warm 365 days a year, never too hot. No humidity. Gentle breezes amongst the bamboo and palm trees and other native plants. The flowers were vibrant in color and aromatic. The water a crystal-clear combination of Turquoise, Cobalt and Manganese. The animals were gentle and not wild. He described the suites as the most luxurious setting imaginable with every amenity taken care of. The staff were the most friendly, honest, hard-working people whose only goal was to help you make wonderful memories during your stay.
As I sat there listening, I began to feel just a teensy-weensy bit envious.
Don’t get me wrong. I was extremely happy for him! But I wished I was going too.
He must have been reading my mind. His face lit up even more as he said “You have not heard the best part! I can bring my friends with me! Does anyone want to go?!?”
My hand shot up into the air, along with just about everyone else in the room as a chorus of “yes!” rang out. He then said “There is one catch. It’s a one-way ticket.”
A one-way ticket to paradise? That doesn’t sound that bad! In fact, that sounds great, but what about our family and friends? He went on to say, you can bring your friends and family. Anybody that wants to go, can go! You see, all your tickets have been paid, in full! All you need do is approach the Ticket Master and ask for your ticket. That is all! It’s free for the asking.
It was about this time that it dawned on me…he is talking about heaven. Indeed, it is free for the asking. It is free for the accepting of the one who paid for it all, in full.
Our trip to paradise is guaranteed if we want it!
I do not know about you, but I have a very vivid imagination. The Bible, however, tells us that we cannot begin to imagine what God has in store for those who love Him.
“But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:7,9
Take a moment right now and allow your mind to embrace the following description of the wall of the city. Just the wall. As much as I love the wall my sister has built, this heavenly wall does not compare with anything we have seen.
The city is a square with its length, width and height the same. It is huge! The city is about 1,380 miles wide AND 1,380 miles high! The wall around the city is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every kind of jewel. The first is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:16-21
And those pearls! Each gate made from a single pearl? Oh my! The wall will be absolutely breath taking!!
The wall my sister built sits on a foundation of red dirt. The foundation of the wall God built must be truly breathtaking!
As much as I love the wall my sister built, I am very anxious to see the wall God has built!
Not everyone will be there. Only those that love Jesus will see it. Only those who accept His free gift of eternal life. Only those that choose the hard way.
John 14:6 ESV “Jesus said…“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
It is often easier to go the way of the world. To give into temptation. To give up. But friend, it will all be worth it in the end.
Matthew 7:13-14 ESV “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Reach out to the (ticket) Master, take your gift of an all-expenses paid trip to Glory Land. Gaze upon the wall, walk through the pearly gates into that huge city. See your room, prepared just for you, in the Father’s house. Live forever in peace and harmony with the one that paid the price for YOU!
