Pearl of Great Price.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the look-out for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value,he sold everything he owned and bought it! (Matthew 13:45-46)

I am about to explain my limited knowledge on how a pearl is created. Please don't correct me if I'm wrong because it would just ruin my whole story. :)

Inside an oyster is a tiny muscle in the course of the oyster’s development, a foreign substance such as a grain of sand gets into the little muscle and irritates the oyster. In response, the oyster covers that irritant with a secretion. The longer the irritation is there, the more the oyster coats it. Pearl oysters vary in size and can be quite rough and ugly. Yet what is happening inside is a combination of rainbows, moonlight, and bits of flame. Once the oyster accepts the irritation as part of itself, the pearl begins to develop. The worst storms, gales, even hurricanes will not dislodge it. As time goes by and this oyster is finally pulled up from the bed where it has been for many years, it is opened only to reveal a beautiful pearl.

So why I'm a telling you about a pearl you ask ? You see I am pretty sure it represents most of our lives (in ministry or not).

1. God sees something in you (like he did the oyster)

2. He plants a special seed in you and covers you with his Grace

3. When chosen sometimes it's ugly, we cry because it's not what we had planned and we don't want to embrace it.

4. However we say "Yes"

5. Overtime the outside is so ugly as we are growing, but what God is doing in our hearts is amazing!

6. Sometimes it takes years for God's beauty to be unveiled to the World and those around.

Specifically for you in Ministry, Adoption ect... God planted something amazing in you! He in-trusted you with something... what an honor, and privilege (I understand it doesn't always feel that way).

I know that sometimes that little spec of dirt or seed that God planted in us to something BIG sometimes feels at a stand still, but just remember every pearl comes out a different size, shape and color and yours may not look like anyone else's but it was God given,and God planted.

Embrace the Pearl of Great Price.

Remember the scripture above he gave up EVERYTHING to buy that one great pearl.

Some of you have given up everything and putting all your eggs in the pearl that God has asked you to nurture and carry!

Be thankful that God choose YOU!!!

There are things to embrace while going thru those small tough hard beginnings or those long overworked days.

While your in the oyster being beautified what can you embrace ???