Pearl of Great Price

"By your perseverance acquire your souls."
~ Luke 21:19 (author)

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
~ Matthew 13:45-46 (NKJV)

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."
~ Luke 18:28 (NKJV)

And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
~ Psalms 119:45 (NKJV)

The Pearl of Great Price parable is interpreted two ways. One says Jesus' kingdom is the pearl and we forfeit all to gain it. The other says His church—His bride—is the pearl of great price Jesus gave all to attain.

I see it both ways. What more could Jesus have given to purchase us? He asks all from us in return. Not to pay Him back. Not to earn salvation. We give all we are to Him because a man's soul defines all that he is, and Jesus purchased our souls.

In typical kingdom irony, God entrusts our forfeited souls back to us more fully than we ever had them to begin with. We once lived by commandments we could not keep, and were in bondage to sin. When Jesus' blood sets us free through repentance of sin, God grants for our souls to walk at liberty because we use our freedom to seek His ways.

Lord, what more could we possibly expect from You? You gave Your life to obtain our lives and make them everything You created them to be in the time before sin. Please permit us to better know You and trust You so we have no hindrance to obey. Please empower us by Your Holy Spirit to release to You whatever You're waiting to make whole.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.