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Ready & Waiting … Always!
John TiltonMatthew 25:6-13
At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.And the door was shut.“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Theses scriptures of the ten virgins are a great reminder to me of how the virgins were not prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival.I would surmise that they wanted to be prepared, but they did not prepare well by taking a supply of oil with themselves, nor did they make any attempt to be prepared due to the bridegroom taking a long time in coming.Perhaps they thought they had time, and were not ready, prepared, and waiting 24/7; not knowing when the bridegroom might arrive.We know the outcome as aforementioned that the unprepared virgins were shut out.
This is a very clear reminder to me of my needing to be prepared, ready, and waiting if the Lord Jesus Christ would return in a moment’s notice.I know that there are lapses in my better judgement and whether I am in the Lord’s will at various moments of my life in what I am doing, what I am not doing, and what I am thinking.Hence, those moments in being lapse could potentially be the moment that Jesus returns, and I be shut out … whoa!
Not only should I be prepared, but be intentionally instantaneous in repenting and asking forgiveness whenever I fall out of God’s will.I liken having an ample oil supply as doing the things God has called me to do in my devotions in His Word, my time in prayer, and the call on my life.I liken having my lamp trimmed to being free from the things and sin of the world.
Dear Lord, thank you for the reminder that you will come in moment’s notice.I pray that I will be prepared, ready, and waiting.
