Passage through the Pearly Gates | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Passage through the Pearly Gates | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
05/16/12
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It had been raining for the last few days. It was not a down pour with thunder and lightning. That would have been exciting. It was a monotonous drip-drip-drip from a dull grey sky. It was enough to dampen the spirit and usher in a gloomy and despairing mood. A chilly moist and cool breeze seeped through my body awakening the dormant arthritis pain cells. Bored and hurting I retired to my old rocking chair with my Bible, hoping to find peace and solace in His word.

I started by leafing through the pages of the Old Testament. I got out my pencil and note book and started to jot down the heroes in the Bible and how they achieved fame.

I started off with Noah, that great structural engineer, who built a huge boat following the blue print given by God, the great Creator. Noah was told that water would pour down from heaven and the boat would float. In those days the earth was watered by dew from heaven and Noah had never known rain. Yet he believed in God and went about building the boat despite what others said. This act of faith not only saved his life but also made him famous.

The next was Abram whose faith made him the friend of God. His obedience to God made him famous. When God said, “Go.” He went. It never occurred to him to question, ‘why, where, when, and what for.’ He obeyed God right up to the time he laid his only son on the altar before God and raised his knife to slay him. This act of obedience is what made him famous.

Then there was Joseph, Mordecai and Daniel, all slaves and captives in foreign kingdoms, who rose up in status to be second in commands to the rulers of their countries by their loyalty, hard work, and faithfulness to their God, who honored them with wealth and fame.

Then there were others who were famous for their literary achievements, books like Psalms and Proverbs, that calm the troubled, console the depressed, strengthen the weak and encourage the defeated.

In the New Testament, I read about martyrs like Stephen and Paul and the early apostles who suffered torture and persecutions and death defending their faith. Their fame as Christian heroes is a beacon for me to follow as I make my way to the portals of Heaven.

It had stopped raining. Sunbeams danced through the leaves forming changing shadow pictures on the wall in front of me. A gentle breeze whispered softly in my ear,
‘Cheer up, God is in control. All’s well and peaceful.’
I closed my eyes and thought about what I had read. I have no doubt that all these famous people would have passed through the pearly gates of heaven without any problem. Even in my wildest dreams I know that I can never measure up to them. I imagined myself at the Gates, standing before St.Peter. I can hear him saying,
“Who are you? What have you done, that is famous in God’s sight, for Him to grant you entrance into His Kingdom?”

I hear myself softly saying,
“I am a child of God. I am sorry I have done nothing that is famous. I believe that fame is not the only pre-requisite for the passage through the pearly gates. I have a passport stamped and sealed in the blood of Christ certifying that I am a redeemed sinner.”
And I present my Golden Passport.

“Why did you not show that in the first place,” said St.Peter.
“Welcome to Heaven.”

The shrill notes of the phone awoke me from my pleasant day dream!

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