She had a great and hight wall with twelve gates . . .
and names written on them, which are the name of
the twelve tribes of the children of Israel . . .
Now the wall of the city had twelve foundation, and on
them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:12,13
God engraved the names of the sons of Jacob on his gatepost. More ragamuffins than reverends.Their rap sheets include stories of mass murder, incest, and brotherly betrayal. They behaved more like the 3:00 a.m. nightclub crowd than a Valhalla of faith. Yet God carved name on the New Jerusalem gates.
And dare we mention the name of the foundation? Peter,the apostle who saved his own skin instead of his Savior’s. James and John, who jockeyed for VIP seats in heaven. These were the disciples who told the children to leave Jesus alone, who told Jesus to leave the hungry on their own, and chose to leave Jesus alone to face his crucifixion. Yet all their names appear on the foundations.
And yours? It’s not engraved in the gate, but it written in the book of the Lamb. Not in pencil marks that can be erased, but with blood that will not be removed. No need to keep God happy; he is satisfied. No need to pay the price; Jesus paid it.
そういえば、血痕って、絶対に残るものね。
すごい証拠です。
だからこそ、山も登れるし、谷も降りられるし、荒野を歩けるし、川も渡れる。
結局たどり着く先は、御国とわかっていれば、っま、ちょっとぐらい失敗してもいっか。
ちょっとやそっとの失敗じゃないかもしれないけど、その大小は、神さまの前には、ロングビーチの砂つぶと、マンハッタンビーチの砂つぶの大きさな違いなのかもしれないじゃん。んね。