Trimming the Wicks

~~~ 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 ~~~ Psalm 33 ~~~ Matthew 25:1-13 ~~~

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. 

The components of this story each play an important roll.

The ten virgins...the oil lamp...the oil...and the wick...

Removing one of these would make this 

a completely different story.

The virgins show up. 

They are eager to greet the bridegroom.

However, he is delayed which means they must wait.

This delay forces them to make 

a necessary decision...

do they put out the lamp or keep

 it burning, risking to run out of fuel.

For some this is a huge dilemma.

The ten virgins all carry their lamp with them.

They all appear to be prepared.

We do not see the inside of the lamps.

We soon learn that half of the women 

brought flasks of additional oil.

They came more prepared than the other five.

In our own lives we can be fooled into believing

 that as long as we show up...

as long as we bring our lamp 

it will be sufficient.

Further reading of this story 

proves that is not quite enough.

When the bridegroom arrives

 only the five wise virgins

 have sufficient oil to keep

 their flame burning brightly.

All ten virgins trimmed their wicks.

‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 

Trimming the wick in an oil lamp is important.

The wick is designed to draw up the oil from the lamp

in a steady fashion in order for the flame to burn.

The burning takes place just above the wick.

This liquid layer prevents the wick from being burned up.

Oxygen is prevented from reaching the wick itself.

As long as the wick remains saturated in the oil

 it is not consumed by the flame.

The virgins got up and trimmed their wicks...

trimmed wicks burn more brightly.

They were eager to have the brightest

 lamp to light the way for the bridegroom.

I invite you to consider what it means

 to be prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom.

I invite you to consider the lamp.

The lamp holds the precious oil; without 

the oil there is no light.

I also invite you to consider the wick...

the trimming of the wick.

We are like the wick because we must

 be saturated with the oil of God...the grace of God.

If we want to burn brightly we must 

have the oil of God's love and mercy.

Five virgins ran out of oil.

When they ran out of oil their wick dried up.

Without oil and a dry wick you 

loose the potential for light.

They lost their way without their lamp.

...those who were ready went into 

the wedding feast with him. 

Those who were ready...

showed up...brought their lamp...

carried extra fuel...trimmed their wick.

They came prepared. 

The doors were opened and the wise virgins 

were welcomed to wedding feast.

Be prepared.

Trimming your wick insures it will burn brightly.

Blessings of the oil.

~~~Peace~~~