I have had the best time this morning making “Golden Tickets”!
“And why??” you might ask.
It all started last weekend when I decided to pop into the Daiso store to look for a Christmas present for a very special 3-yr. old.
I hadn’t even been in the store for 5 minutes when I came across the most wonderful red fire-engine box. It was just a simple box to store paper … but I was immediately captivated! A very special 5-yr. old would absolutely love that!
I picked up the red fire-engine box … … then put it back down again. I really shouldn’t. I would need a fun box for each of our other special little friends too.
Oh look! There “just-so-happens” to be a yellow school-bus box … and … a blue commuter-bus box too!
I picked up the red fire-engine box again … and along with it, the yellow school-bus box, and the blue commuter-bus box.
Now … I just needed something to fill the boxes with!
I spent the next 15 minutes scouring the Daiso store for the perfect items to fill the boxes which now overflowed my arms! In the back of the store, I came across little plastic mugs. Those will be perfect!
After checking to make sure they would fit inside the boxes, I loaded up my arms with 6 different little plastic mugs, one for each child.
Oh look, rice bowls! Since Daiso is a Japanese store, they had a wonderful selection of different styles of small plastic rice bowls. I checked to make sure the rice bowl would fit inside the box, then proceeded to pick out 6 different little rice bowls, one for each child!
I made it to the check stand with the assortment of items practically falling out of my arms!
And triumphantly I carried my purchases home!
I later told hubby: “It’s a good thing I don’t ever go into an actual normal store very often … because you discover all kinds of fun exciting things you never knew existed before!”
Oh, and by the way … I did find the perfect Christmas gift for the special 3-yr. old! (which was the whole reason I had gone into the store in the first place! Ha!)
Isn’t it great!
Now that I had all these wonderful goodies for all of our little friends, I have been working on putting together “Back-to-School” boxes for them!
Yesterday I decided they each needed a “Golden ‘Back-to-School’ Ticket”!
So this morning I have been making “Golden Tickets”! It has been terrific fun! I came across some leftover golden glitter, which I generously sprinkled all over each “Golden Ticket”.
Glittery and sparkly in the sunshine!
If I was a little kid, I would definitely be excited about discovering a glittery “Golden Ticket” in a surprise ‘Back-to-School’ box!
When you were a little kid, did you ever read the book: ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’? If you did, then you know the excitement surrounding the “Golden Ticket.” (this was one of my favorite books when I was a kid!)
If you have never read ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ then I will fill you in:
* Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory produced the most wonderful treats & sweets, but no one was ever allowed into the factory. No one knew what it was like inside. Obviously it was amazing and wonderful inside … but no one was ever ever allowed inside. The big main front entrance gate was kept locked. It was all a huge mystery what the inside was like!
* No one knew what the factory workers were like. It was a big mystery.
* Then one day an announcement appeared in the newspaper that a few select lucky winners of the “Golden Ticket” would be allowed a tour of the chocolate factory. They would be allowed in to see what no one else had ever seen! The big main front entrance gate would swing open, and these “Golden Ticket” winners would be granted access to a place no one else could go!
Is this not a fantastic picture of what Heaven is like!
No one knows what Heaven is like. We all want to go to Heaven. We know it will be amazing and wonderful! But, just like the chocolate factory, it is a huge mystery what the inside of Heaven is like.
Just like the amazing and wonderful sweets which came from the chocolate factory, so also, in the same way, what comes out of Heaven is amazing and wonderful (as seen in Jesus’s life, and as seen in the work of the Holy Spirit): love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, etc.
There were hints and rumors about what the inside of the chocolate factory was like. But no one really knew. In the same way, we have hints about what Heaven is like: Heaven is a city of pure gold! … built on a foundation of gems of every color and kind! … jasper, sapphire, emerald, topaz, amethyst, etc. The streets of Heaven are paved with pure gold, like transparent glass! (Revelation chapters 21 & 22)
No one knows what the angels or Heavenly beings are like. It is a big mystery.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9
Just like no one was ever allowed into the chocolate factory, so also no one has access to Heaven.
We can’t go in. Plain as that! The gate is locked!
Just like the people in the story would stand at the locked gate and gaze through, wishing they could enter, so also people try to earn their way into Heaven. People do good deeds! And more good deeds!
But no matter how many good deeds are done, the locked gate will remain shut and locked! Good deeds will not allow access to Heaven.
But there is exciting news!!
Just like in the story, there is the opportunity of being a “Golden Ticket” winner! … and if you have a “Golden Ticket” you will be allowed entrance!
Is this not exciting!!
How do we get this “Golden Ticket”???
In the story, people went to great lengths! … and great effort! … and great expense! to try to get a “Golden Ticket.”
But for me, for you … the “Golden Ticket” is FREE!
Is that not mind-blowing!
All you have to do is ask.
Jesus Christ is the “Golden Ticket.” Jesus is your ticket into Heaven! All you have to do is ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and Jesus will give you a “Golden Ticket” of forgiveness!!
Jesus will give you a “Golden Ticket” of salvation!
Have you asked for your “Golden Ticket”?
You won’t be allowed access into Heaven without the “Golden Ticket” of Jesus Christ!
