In our church we have a praise time just before our worship services. I think that most of us look forward to this time. I often think that singing our praises is also an act of worship showing our love to God. I know that I used to just sing because it was time to sing! Or at least it was what I called singing. But now I think that I wasn’t really singing if singing is a form of worship. Now I sing differently! Remembering that I am praising God when I sing, makes it so much different. Even though I do not have a singing voice, when others are singing their best, then I can blend in and pretend I have a good voice-which I am sure I do not! I just know that now I am singing because of my love for Jesus. I am looking forward to the day that I can get a really good singing voice! One of the changes I can have when we receive new perfect bodies, maybe on the way to heave. A number of years ago, I could not sing! Every song that was chosen for us to sing brought tears and I could not get through even one verse. It seemed that every song spoke to me about my sadness over a traumatic time I had had. Today, each song still speaks to me but now I can sing most of the time with joy! Last Sabbath the first song chosen for us to sing during Praise and Sing Worship was the song When He Cometh. It might be known to you as Jewels or Precious Jewels. When it was announced, it didn’t occur to me what song we were actually going to be singing. It didn’t take long for me be transported back to my childhood and I could hear my Mother singing that very song. I think it too was one of her favorites. I know that she often used it for a song when she was teaching Sabbath School for the children. I still have the felt crown that she made and the felt “jewels” that she made of colored felt pieces that children could put on the crown on a felt board—she always called it a flannel board because of the material covering the flannel/felt board. And many of the felt pieces received sparkling glitter decorations by her.
Yes, hearing this song in praise transported me back to my mother and her love. The words— 1. When He cometh, when He cometh To make up His jewels, All His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning, They shall shine in their beauty, Bright gems for His crown. 2. He will gather, He will gather The gems for His kingdom, All the pure ones, all the bright ones, His loved and His own. 3. Little children, little children Who love their Redeemer, Are the jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own.
This classic Christian hymn “When He Cometh” was written in 1856 by American pastor William Orcutt Cushing and set to music in 1866 by composer George Frederick Root. Cushing wrote the simple, child-friendly lyrics to help teach his Sunday school students about Christ’s return and how God views His faithful people as treasured gems. The song’s main theme comes directly from the Bible verse Malachi 3:17: “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” The words of the verses compare pure and faithful believers—especially children who love Jesus—to precious gems and bright stars that will adorn Christ’s crown at His second coming. Author William Orcutt Cushing wrote the words for over 300 hymns (including “Hiding in Thee” and “Under His Wings”), but “When He Cometh” remains one of his earliest and most enduring works for young students. George Frederick Root wrote the notes for a simple, sweet melody that made the hymn an instant favorite in 19th- and 20th-century Protestant and Sunday school hymnals. The song gained widespread fame after it was featured in gospel song collections compiled by Ira D. Sankey, who was long associated with Dwight L. Moody. It eventually became a beloved traditional piece sung by generations of children and congregations worldwide.
But the song did not only take me back to the arms of my mother, my father was also present during the song. He taught me to love the shiny sparkling minerals and crystals that he loved to collect! As he collected, I was right beside him as often as I could be! Together we explored the crystals that came from geodes found here in Iowa and the limestone quarry not so far from our home. He taught and showed me the sparkling treasures that God had placed on and in the earth for us to enjoy! Perhaps my love for sparkling jewels and even glitter came from both of them. After all, they gave me a name that means Sparkling! I am looking forward to the golden gleaming crown that is ready for me from Jesus! I know that it might have at least 4 sparkling jewels on it and I hope/pray maybe a few more. I am attracted to clothes that have some kind of sparkling application on them. I have special people that know I love sparkles, and they have given me gifts that sparkle that make me happy! I loved teaching Sabbath School themes on heaven and the holy city and the New Earth. It gave me a good chance to add some sparkles to the room decorations—and to use the crown and jewels that were from my own mother when she was the teacher.
When I think on the beauty of my New Earth home, I think about what I would like for house type and color, landscaping, and entry ways. How I might decorate—log cabin, fish aquarium walls, grotto-like with walls of agate and crystal, House on the Rock style, or maybe beside a trickling stream and waterfall. But, unless you’re an engineer, you don’t usually think of a foundation. I don’t. But God does! The New Jerusalem’s foundation for the walls isn’t just intended to be a structurally sound base; it’s also beautiful. The Bible says the “foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones.” The original Greek word kosmeo used in that text means to adorn, garnish, trim, or embellish with honor. (I have a new word for me to use!) The same root word is used by Peter to describe the adornment of a generous, kind heart that is “precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3, 4). And that word too is a word that I hope can be used for me!
Since there isn’t a first-century handbook on identifying gems that confirms the exact stones mentioned by Jonh in Revelation, there is some debate on which minerals he was specifically identifying. However, they appear to be parallel with most of the 12 gems on the high priest’s breastplate in Exodus 28. Do you, with along with me, wish you could have seen the real breastplate? With the names of the apostles on the foundations (Revelation 21:14), perhaps the gems and names combine the Old and New Testament churches, and that might affirm that God’s people from all corners of the world are in the Holy City. I do know that those foundations just have to be sparkling and beautiful gems that we all will want to not miss out on and miss seeing!
The jasper listed could have been chalcedony, agate, opal, or jade. It was the last gem in the high priest’s breastplate (Exodus 28:20). Sapphire here is possibly lapis lazuli, a clear or translucent blue gem that is especially hard. The gem chalcedony is difficult to identify, though the Revised Standard Bible calls it agate. Emerald here is believed to be a gem with a bright green color. It all sounds so beautiful and wonderful! “And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;”…… (Revelation 21:19 KJV)
God’s people have been compared to precious stones and those jewels that will be on the crowns. Peter described fellow believers as “living stones … being built up” into “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). Like gems polished in a rock tumbler, the trials of this world have smoothed out the characters of God’s people into jewels for His kingdom. O Lord, when You make up the jewels for Your kingdom, I long to be one of the gems that adorn the holy city with a character reflecting the likeness of Jesus. For Further Study: Exodus 28:17–20; Isaiah 54:11, 12; Malachi 3:17.
Scripture tells us that God’s people do not merely win jewels for a crown; rather, we are the jewels in His crown. In Zechariah 9:16, the Bible says that God’s saved people “shall sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown”. You are precious, valued, and deeply cherished by the King. Before grace finds us, we are like rough, unpolished stones dug from the earth. We are unfinished. To the passing world, we might look ordinary, rough around the edges, or of little worth in being unfinished. Our value is perhaps hidden just as beauty is hidden away in the caves and mines and inside geodes and thunder eggs. Sometimes it gets exposed and we stand in awe of what was hidden. God the Master Creator/Artist has eyes that look past the dirt and sees a masterpiece waiting to be uncovered. And then the beauty waiting in us is exposed and can be seen, and I can try to be a blessing to everyone who seeks for the beauty.
God uses life’s trials and friction to grind away our pride, selfishness, and rough spots, just a jeweler can cut the many facets and polish those facets that make for sparkling beauty. True luster requires cutting deep, sometimes painfully, into our character. The goal of the shaping of me is so the Master can look at the stone and see His own reflection shining back from me. Jewels do not create light; they only catch and reflect the light that hits them. As God’s jewels, we have no light of our own. Our beauty comes from the imputed splendor of Christ, meant to draw eyes to Him, not to ourselves, but to His glory. When I feel worn down or imperfect, I need to remember that I am chosen to sparkle in the land as a token of His redeeming love and to show others that He gives everyone rest and worth and leads to perfection. I can sparkle in His light and reflect His glory.
Women are becoming increasingly weary and discouraged and are thus losing sight of their real value as daughters of the King. Daughters of a King makes me think dressed in sparking crowns and robes. The author of A Jewel in His Crown examines how a woman’s view of her worth deeply affects her relationships, and it offers counsel for women in living out God’s purpose and design for them. Her practical wisdom has helped thousands of women renew their strength and become women of excellence. The book is said to be about rediscovering Your Value as a Woman of Excellence and wants to help women overcome discouragement by understanding their true worth as daughters of God. It explores how a woman’s view of her own value affects her daily life and relationships. Also, it encourages readers to see themselves as beloved daughters and valuable jewels that will sparkle in God’s kingdom in their spiritual identity. It attempts to offers practical biblical guidance to help tired or weary women renew their strength and live out God’s design. I haven’t read this book yet, but I think I want to!
Right now, during late August somewhere near our open bedroom window and almost to the minute a Cardinal begins the day with a sparkling Good Morning world song! I love waking up to this song! It lends a note of cheer, even when my body has a more troublesome attitude of pain and dread. I can use this sparking good morning from the cardinal to give me courage to get up, maybe it won’t be as bad as my body wants to indicate! And it might even be better!!
From a poplar organizer, I learned to ask the question Does it (anything you have or do) bring joy to your life? I will take it one step further—Does it bring sparkling joy in your life? Joy is a deep, steady feeling of great happiness. Sparkling joy is a lively, bright, and bubbling form of that emotion that shines outward. It acts like joy with extra energy, excitement, and a playful sparkle. Here are some of the differences: Joy is a calm, steady state of gladness deep inside your heart. Sparkling Joy is more a bright, active, and glowing expression of happiness that feels alive and bubbly. Joy gives a feeling of calm and quiet and is deeply felt inside, lasts a long time and is peaceful and steady. Some feel that Sparkling Joy is more loud and bright, shows on your face, and is fast and exciting, more like playful and magical. For me I am probably more Joy though I sometimes would like to be more like Sparkling Joy.
One last thought—A spiritual “sparkling gem” is a hidden truth from God’s Word. Just as a physical gem is formed under intense pressure and polished to reflect light, God’s deeper meanings in scripture shine brightest when we look closely at how He builds our character and steadies our hearts. When life seems troublesome and hard, remember what is being formed under pressure and with the polishing—we are being polished to reflect God!
I really do want the polishing that will let me Sparkle for God!