Rev. A.J. Ogden

Nearly all drug stores had a soda fountain when I was growing up in the thirties. The one in my home town seemed like the nearest thing to Heaven I had ever seen. You could buy a fountain coke for a nickel, or ice cream for five cents a cone.

We were so poor; I only had one maybe two or three times in a year. But oh what a joy and delight it was to sit at that little marble table and sip on a milk shake! Many times when I was out of school at 2:30 P.M., I would just go to that store to watch my school teachers as they sat at that marble table with their cokes and shakes. I would ease around the store, watching them drink with my mouth watering, wishing I had just one little dime! Now in my eighties, I thank God I can have a shake any time I want one! Remembering where I came from helps me to be more thankful for my blessings. But I know also, that the best is yet to come. I just expect now it won’t be long until I move up to my heavenly Father’s house where there are many things better than a milk shake at the marble table! Why, I might even pull up my chair to a golden table there. But best of all, Jesus is there!

I have read about the streets of gold and mansions there, and He says there are gates of pearl and no sorrow there. I’m a rich boy now because I know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Listen to what he has promised all who have trusted in Him as Savior. John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”