Be transparent
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls: Each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass," Revelation 21:21.
“Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops," Luke 12:3.
Dear Light-bearer,
Things that are transparent remind us of vulnerability. Nothing can be hidden because everything can be seen. Light shines through transparent objects. The more transparent the object is, the more brilliantly the light can shine. The shape of the transparent object determines how the light passes through. Like a prism, objects with angles can break pure, white light into a rainbow of assorted colors.
Heaven has streets of transparent gold, as clear as glass. In and of itself this does not seem to be very showy or impressive. Glass seems common. It will not reflect the light like a golden mirror, as our gold does here on earth. It is flat, without decorate angles and shapes. Its purpose is to form a surface that men can travel on that will lead them from outer parts to the very heart of the Holy City.
1 Peter 1:7 says that the genuineness of our faith is more precious than gold that is tested in the fire. Gold is not destroyed with heat. Only its impurities are burned away. The hotter and longer the fire burns, the more transparent the gold will become.
When we come to God we like to think of all that we have to offer as gold bullion. Proudly we wave it before His throne and before others. In truth, this is only to hide our inner secrets, fears, and insecurities. If we remain in Christ through life's fiery trials, these things burn away. What once was showy becomes an apparently flat, clear road for men to walk upon. The glory of this is that heaven needs no sun or moon. The presence of God illuminates it. It is not an outward, but rather an inward illumination that can only shine through transparent objects. His glory makes us a brilliantly shining pathway that leads from the outer places to the very heart of His presence.
The outward enemies that God allows to come against you are purposed to reveal the hidden enemies within you. Don't wrestle with God as He brings your dross to the surface. He is not being critical or disapproving of you. Rather, out of His love, He is making you more precious and valuable. One day every knee will bow and every tongue make confession to Him. Those things spoken in the dark corners will be shouted from the rooftops. It makes more sense to allow Him to expose them now so that we can shine in a way that leads others to His glory!
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Until God graces me to share again, |
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Randall Paul Pipes |
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