Thought for Today: WHAT GOOD IS YOUR GOLD?
There once was a rich man who was dying. While on his death bed, he tried to
negotiate with God to have God allow him to bring his earthly treasures with him to
heaven. "God, please, I have worked so hard to accumulate all these riches. Can't I
bring them along?" "This is very unusual," said God, "but since you
have been such a faithful steward, I will allow you to bring one suitcase."
The man immediately had a servant fill a large suitcase with gold bricks. Shortly
after, he died. When he arrived at the pearly gates, he was stopped by an angel. "I'm
sorry sir, but you know the rule --''you can't take it with you.' You may enter, but
the suitcase has to stay outside." "But God told me I could bring one
suitcase," the man protested.
"Well, if God says it's O.K. -- but I still need to examine the contents before
you enter." The angel took the suitcase from the man, opened it, and, looking very
puzzled, said to the man, "You brought pavement?"
Revelation 21:15-21 NIV: "The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod
of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. ... The wall was made of jasper, and
the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated
with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire,
the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the
seventh hrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh
jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of
a single pearl. THE GREAT STREET OF THE CITY WAS OF PURE GOLD, like transparent
glass."
