Get Wise – Part 1
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Matthew 25:6
Jesus told a parable about some virgins going to get married. Five of them were wise, and five of them were foolish. Having a burning lamp was a requirement for taking part in the wedding feast in those days, yet the foolish virgins didn’t have enough oil, so they tried to grab some from the wise ones. They replied ‘’We don’t have enough for all of us… buy some for yourselves’ (v9). So the foolish virgins had to trot off for oil. But while they were gone the wedding got underway and the door was locked and bolted.
Here’s four lessons from the foolish virgins. 1) It’s wrong to depend on others. The fact that your mom and dad / church family are Christians won’t on its own make you a believer. You need to seek God for yourself. 2) It’s foolish to be last-minute about important things. Are you putting off saying “surrendering” to Jesus until you’re a bit older or you know more? 3) God’s judgment is final. ‘..the door was shut…‘Open the door for us!’ But He replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ (vv. 10–12) 4) Morality alone won’t get you into heaven. ‘God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.’ (Ephesians 2:8) Being generally nice unfortunately doesn’t make up for the wrong we’ve done; Jesus does.
Are you fully trusting in God, or is your oil half-empty?…
Prayer
Heavenly Father, into Your hands I surrender my life – always ready for the wedding you have invited me to. In Jesus’ Name, Amen