Watch Therefore

Matthew 25:1-13

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
"Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

I feel the imperative to write on these verses. In the last few days — indeed on the same day — I read two anointed devotions which took Matthew 25 as their source, and then found that it was my daily Bible reading also. It was one of those occasions when you feel strongly that The Lord is trying to get your attention — and indeed this is without doubt a message for our times.

Scripture repeatedly calls us to stand watch, to be aware and discern the times, to know what is happening spiritually in the world, so that we can pray. We must be alert at all times, with oil in our lamps. The oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, and the lamp represents the light of our Lord. If we are in a battle — and there is no doubt that we are — then we must be constantly aware lest we be deceived by the enemy’s wiles.

Study the difference between the foolish and the wise virgins, but note first of all that these were virgins — that is they were pure and undefiled. The difference between them was wisdom or the lack of it. All these virgins were faithful, but five were careless with what they had, and thus lost their most precious gift. The difference was that five were prepared and five were not. Five cherished and valued their heavenly anointing, while the others took it for granted.

The Lord has immeasurably blessed us with the amazing gift of His Kingdom, of dwelling eternally with Him, yet we can often treat this gift so casually. Lifting and laying to suit ourselves. We can be with the wise one minute and with the foolish the next. Watch therefore!

MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS

HABAKKUK 2:1
I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.

GIVE ME OIL IN MY LAMP
(A predictable choice of song for sure … but why not?)

PRAYER requires FAITH

PRAYER IS THE supreme activity of all that is noblest in our personality and the essential nature of prayer is faith.
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’ by Oswald Chambers]

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