Encouragement

Pearl of great price

by Mary Thomas
09/14/20
Not For Sale
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Pearl of great price

Sitting outside the beach hut, I sensed the Peace of God surround me. Relaxing into the chair I quietened down to soak up my surroundings. This was the first time I had been down to our beach hut on my own, and I was eager to rest and enjoy having nothing to do but watch the world go by. I could hear the waves crashing onto the shingle, the tide was incoming, there were not many people about as the weather was on the turn, summer was receding and the sun had disappeared behind cloud.

As I sat, I was aware of a beeping noise in the distance getting closer. Now and then it stopped only to start up again, an irritating interruption to the peace of the moment. I looked around to see the source of the noise and saw a man using a metal detector, close by, skimming the shingle until the beeping noise indicated something metal underneath. 

Instantly I heard the still small voice of My Father say to me, ‘You are worth far more than this’. Knowing there was more to come I waited for an understanding of what this meant. I was reminded of the parable that Jesus told of the hidden treasure and the pearl. Jesus is firstly talking about the Kingdom of God being like treasure, when a man found it he sold all he had to buy the field. 

But it was the second half that my mind focussed on, and I began to understand what God was encouraging me to see. He is the merchant and we are the pearl, bought at great price, nothing less than His death, that’s the price of our lives to Him. *

The man searching for ‘treasure’ with his metal detector was eager to find buried coins or other metals, but My Father was telling me that I was much more value than this. I was the pearl, the fine pearl, a precious jewel to Him, He gave up everything to have me. And He did this for you too. This parable is often misunderstood, many believe the kingdom of God is the pearl. But it is you. You and I are the pearl. God so loved us He gave His life for us, let that truth soak into your very being. It is transforming. 

As I continued to dwell on this, the metal detector man had moved on, the irritating interruption had dissipated, and I once again sensed the Peace of God surround me. 

I was astounded that God would lead me to come down to the beach hut, this first time on my own, to allow me to hear Him tell me how precious and valuable I was to Him. Something I needed to be reminded of so much.

By now the clouds had darkened and a light rain was in the air, the wind had picked up and I was unable to sit outside anymore. I packed away my things and decided to shut up the hut and head home, it was not until later that day I began to realise how amazing an outing it had proven to be. 

* Matthew 13:45-46

Again, the kingdom of God is like a merchant, looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away sold everything he had and bought it.