HE THE PEARLY GATES WILL OPEN

        A few months ago we flew to Wisconsin to visit relatives and we had a wonderful time.  But our trip home was frustrating and tiring.  We had to drive through driving wind and rain to Milwaukee to the airport. We were held up by an accident which closed the highway.  We finally arrived at the airport and after all the check-in and security procedures were completed, we found our gate.  Then we were told that our flight would be delayed several hours.  It finally came and we flew to Baltimore where we still had 1.5 hours of driving to get home.  Early in the morning, after many tiring hours of travel, we stumbled through our front door.  What a relief to go through the door and finally be home.  Someone has said that there is no place like home.  I've often thought of that trip as a reminder of our real life journey home.  At times it can be frustrating, tiring and filled with disappointments.  The journey can be hard, but someday we will finally be home.  Now I have no idea what our final arrival will actually be like, except that Jesus will be there.  Will we, as many suggest, enter through the pearly gates?  I really don't know and I guess I really don't care.  As spectacular as those gates will be, the fact that we will be home with our Savior is the real exciting expectation.  The biblical reference to the "pearly gates" of heaven is found in Revelation 21:21, a passage which gives many details concerning the beautiful heavenly city (vs. 10-23).  "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" (Rev. 21:21).  Hymn writers over the centuries have written about heaven and this week's hymn choice talks about Jesus opening the pearly gates for us to enter.  I don't know if that will actually happen, but this hymn does remind us of Jesus, the One who will meet us, and His love and sacrifice for us that will make all of this possible.  There are conflicting stories about the hymn's writing, but here is one shared by several sources.  It was written by Frederick Arvid Blom (1867-1926) who was born in Sweden and immigrated to America in the 1890's. He served as an officer in the Salvation Army and as a pastor of a church.  But his life took a radical downward turn. Blom became spiritually backslidden and resigned from the ministry. He says, "I became embittered with myself, [and] the world." He drifted into a life of drunkenness and sin, and eventually was involved in illegal activities. When he was caught, he was convicted and sent to prison. But the Lord kept His hand on him there. Surrounded by locked gates and iron bars, he cried to God, and sought forgiveness for his sins. With his sentence fully served, Blom was released.  It is said that when the prison gates clanged shut behind him, it brought to his mind that he was assured of a welcome one day at the pearly gates of the heavenly city. With that thought in mind, Blom wrote a hymn he called Because of the Blood.  This 1917 Swedish hymn was translated into English by Nathaniel Carlson around 1935 and today is known by the first phrase of the chorus.  George Beverly Shea did a great deal to popularize this song in Billy Graham's meetings, and in his recordings.  As you study the hymn you can see that verses two and three are really Blom's personal testimony.  He was like a wounded fawn and brokenhearted.  Yet that love, so great and wondrous, found him in prison and through the blood of Jesus he was saved and forgiven.  And He testifies that it was that wondrous love that purchased his redemption and forgave him all his sin.  Is this your testimony today? Have you experienced his redemption and forgiveness?   Are you on your journey to that spectacular home that is being prepared for you?  Soon our weary journey as pilgrims on this earth will come to an end and we will finally be home.

1      Love divine, so great and wondrous, 

Deep and mighty, pure, sublime, 

Coming from the heart of Jesus. 

Just the same through tests of time!

He the pearly gates will open, 

So that I may enter in; 

For He purchased my redemption 

And forgave me all my sin.

2      Like a dove when hunted, frightened. 

As a wounded fawn was I; 

Brokenhearted, yet He healed me. 

He will heed the sinner's cry.

He the pearly gates will open, 

So that I may enter in; 

For He purchased my redemption 

And forgave me all my sin.

3      Love divine, so great and wondrous, 

All my sins He then forgave; 

I will sing His praise forever, 

For His blood, His power to save. 

He the pearly gates will open, 

So that I may enter in; 

For He purchased my redemption 

And forgave me all my sin.

4      In life's eventide at twilight, 

At His door I'll knock and wait; 

By the precious love of Jesus, 

I shall enter heaven's gate.

He the pearly gates will open, 

So that I may enter in; 

For He purchased my redemption 

And forgave me all my sin.

You can listen to it here.   LISTEN