Be Prepared

~~~ 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8  ~~~ Psalm 97 ~~~ Matthew 25:1-13 ~~~

 

This is a lesson in opposites...prepared/not prepared...light/darkness...awake/asleep.

Is having oil for your lamps a lot like stocking up on bottled water

before a hurricane heads your direction?

Was this a beauty pageant? They were all virgins.

They all represented feminine purity.

 

The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

 

Some were prepared and some waited until the last minute.

Those who are prepared may even be made fun of for being ready.

Those who wait until the last minute may not be able to get what they need.
Sometimes I feel sorry for the five virgins who miscalculated
how much oil they would need.
They did after all bring their lamps.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path“
Psalm 119

 Perhaps it is not enough to just bring your lamp.
You must also carry with you the necessary fuel to keep the fire burning.

 

...all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

Before you can trim your lamp you must extinguish the flame.

So you no longer have your source of light.

Once the flame is out then you trim, cut off the burned part of the wick.

After this used part has been removed the oil is replenished

 and can be lit once again.

The fresh wick can now burn more brightly.

  

 

The Bridegroom does not come until midnight...most people
may reasonably be asleep by then.
Midnight is in the middle of the night; darkness prevails.
Any tiny flicker of light can be seen from a distance away.
Midnight is when one day begins and the new day begins.
 

...stay awake...

When the Bridegroom comes it will be the beginning of a new day.
It will be a new glorious day of celebration for those who are prepared...
those who have enough oil to keep their lamps lit. 

 Scripture never tells us who makes the cry announcing the Bridegroom's arrival,
because it is not important who made the cry.

 

 If the Messiah is the Bridegroom then when he comes
 it is the end of our old life and the beginning of our new life.

 

 ...for you know neither the day nor the hour.

 

Being prepared is something that takes daily attention.
Since we do not know exactly when the Lord will come to the banquet.
If we are diligent about being prepared then the midnight hour will not catch us off guard.
We will have the extra oil to keep our lamps burning brightly.
We will have taken the time to trim our wicks.
Our light will be burning brightly. 

Blessings come in trimming the wick as well as
carrying with you extra oil.