The Pearl of Great Price

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

Matthew 13:45-46

Yesterday was an important day in our country and in our lives as citizens of the United States. It got me to thinking about the real freedom I have in Christ and the price that was paid for my freedom.

In the picture we see the merchant on the sea-shore, where he has waited for the landing of these sailors from another country. He asks them if they have any goodly pearls for sale, and one man opens his box and takes out this "pearl of great price." It is just the kind of pearl the merchant had been seeking, so he quickly produces his two bags of gold and offers them to the man for his pearl. But the man smiles. "What! part with so large and so beautiful a pearl for two bags of gold?" He could not think of it. The pearl is again placed in its box, and the merchant has to go away disappointed. But the longing to have that pearl is too great. A thought occurs to him. He will go home and sell all that is his, and the money he shall thus obtain, added to his two bags of gold, will surely buy the precious jewel.

And so it is with me when I sought that pearl of pearls, the forgiveness of God. I will give up a great deal in order to obtain it, but I found that God required me to give up everything that is sinful or worldly.

Wow! That certainly is a tough one!

The Christian walk is not idealistic. Too often people are given the impression that once they accept Christ into their hearts, that life will become simple, free, and full of blessings. While Christ does indeed afford blessings upon His people and freedom from sin, the reality is that walking with Christ requires me to daily pick up my cross and follow after Him. I must be willing to make the extreme love-sacrifice that He made for me -- to be crucified unto myself -- so that I may truly understand what it means to rely on God alone and to find contentment in Him. In so doing I will be like the merchant who went out in search of the pearl of great price; and after discovering it, gave up everything in order to possess this incomparably valuable pearl.

And if my heart is really set upon obtaining it, I will do as this merchant did, and part with everything that would hinder me from coming to God, or walking in the way that leads to heaven while on the Adventure in Middle Grove.