Rev. 21:12-14 The Holy City has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites...And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
This past Wednesday Worship we wrapped up a series entitled the City of God. One of the take aways from this series for me were these verses. In John of Patmos visionary method he describes heaven as a city whose gates and foundations have names all over them. The names are on the gates, the way we enter God's city; names are on the foundations of the city walls, the way our faith is strengthened.
If you walk around First Charlotte you cannot help to notice the names written on the walls and the pews. Most are on plaques and would have been installed with great fanfare. But there is a little known secret place above the chapel where teenagers (and associate pastors for administration) have scrawled their names on the wall.
The names of people-relationships-have helped shepherd us into God's kingdom.
The question I posed, as God had me wrestle with all week...whose names are on my gates that helped shepherd me into a relationship with Jesus? And conversely, who am I inviting?
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