Streets of Marble; Streets of Gold

“The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelations 21:21).

Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? The Bible tells us the streets will be paved with pure gold. The closest I’ve come to gold was walking streets of marble in Verona, Italy. Jon and spent 10 glorious days touring many regions of that wonderful country, and found ourselves in the opulent city of Verona while en route to Venice. All its richness made me realize earth is beautiful, but nothing compared to what God has planned for those who love His Son!

The most spiritual experiences Jon and I had in Italy were often found outside of the churches we toured. In the sacred ruins God spoke to us of people who lived long ago, and whose lives were altered by sudden tragedy. How do you explain how much more we were deeply moved by the Roman Colosseum versus the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica? Naturally, we admired the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel for the magnificent structures they were. But with so many people shuffling through beside us it did not lend itself to quiet contemplation. In the Colosseum we reflected on all those who lost their lives there, many for their Christian faith.

Pompeii had the same sobering effect on us. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24 in 79 AD buried the city under 60 feet of volcanic ash by August 25. We were visiting it on August 25, 2010 and while we marveled at the engineering genius of the former residence of Pompeii, their preserved plaster bodies were a reminder that life can change very quickly. The people had ample warning to leave the area, but elected to stay because they did not understand the danger at hand. They believed the dark rain was a sign that the many gods they worshiped were with angry with them, so few fled Pompeii. Instead, they slowly and painfully perished and disappeared from view for over a thousand years.

Are people no different today than they were in Pompeii? Doesn’t God send many warnings that we are in danger of being cut off from Him forever apart from a relationship with Jesus? I shudder to think how long I ignored His message, but praise God He did not give up pursuing me until I responded to His invitation to fellowship with Him! Peace, joy and comfort are yours when you give your heart to Christ. You’ll never have to fear His abandonment in this world, or in eternity, when you’re sealed with the blood of His sacrifice for your sins. Heaven is secured when you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and give Him your life.

Our Roman holiday was very special. The adventures we shared, and the new friends we met, will always cheer our souls when we reflect on those magical summer days. The places we visited are etched in our memory to draw upon at will: Capri’s rugged island landscape, Rome’s glorious fountains and ancient ruins, Venice’s romantic gondola ride, Assisi’s spectacular hillside decorated with olive streets illuminated under a full moon, Florence’s stunning artwork and statue of David, Lake Como’s deep blue water and view of the Alps, and Verona’s impressive marble streets that showcased the city’s wealth.

These were only a few of our experiences. With all the treasures we saw, I still couldn’t help but exclaim as I walked on Verona’s marble streets, “This is nice but it’s only a warm up for heaven’s streets of gold!” Our Father has great riches to lavish on His flock. Is He your Shepherd? I pray you are one of His sheep. Hope to walk beside you one day in the kingdom of God! It’ll be much better than Verona. “The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelations 21:21).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary