The Shut Door

“At that time 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 foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.  The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.  The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  At midnight the cry rang out, ‘Here comes 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.”  Matthew 25:1-10

 

I hope you have been following our journey through this parable.  If not, feel free to go back to the first post “Are You Ready for the Groom? Part I.” Otherwise, I feel sure you can still glean from the passage of Scripture found in verse 10.

The five foolish virgins appear, on average, to be attempting to do right.  They have gone out to meet the bridegroom, they have taken their lamps with them; when they realize that they will need to purchase oil, they rushed to the store.  Their performance is good enough, right?  Especially if you grade on a curve.  But as this passage makes abundantly clear, the 5 foolish maidens miss the arrival of the bridegroom, and not only that, the door is shut to deter their entrance to the wedding.

Crystal Lewis had a song back in the 90’s that was quite popular “People Get Ready Jesus Is Coming.”  The words have been ringing in my ears more and more as of late.  Notice in this passage that the ones who were ready were the ones able to go in.  Those that were trying to get ready?  No deal.  Some things in life truly are black or white; right or wrong; true or false.  We, who live in the western culture and mindset, often live our lives in shades of gray, picking and choosing what we believe to be right.  But when it comes to the things of God, we do not get to choose from a buffet of the Truth of God.  We are either right, or we are wrong.  We are ready, or we are unprepared and left.

The overarching truth of this passage applies directly to being ready to meet the Lord in the air at the time of Rapture or at the moment of death; but another truth- even for today- also applies here.  Many of the opportunities in life that the Lord provides for us are time-sensitive.  If we take advantage of the opportunity, it is to our advantage, if we delay walking through the open door, we forfeit the chance.  The Lord has dealt with me over the years in the area of disobedience.  One time he dealt so strongly with me that I heard him say, “To procrastinate is to walk in disobedience.”  Wow.  That was pretty hard.  In the South, we are often ‘fixing to start supper’ or ‘fixing to make a phone call’.  ‘Fixing to’ means we have the intention, we just have not implemented it yet.  The bad news is that there are some things that the window of time will expire on, before we carry out our best intentions.  That is why Christians have to learn that when the Lord speaks; directs; opens a door; or gives a command, we must heed it immediately.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow- or even this afternoon- to obey.

Is there some area of obedience you have been procrastinating on?  Do you have an apology to make?  A debt to settle?  Whatever it is, I encourage you in the Lord- do not delay!  Live without the possibility of regret as often as you are able.

Dear Lord, help me to live ready.  Help me to be quick to obey your voice and not rely on my own thoughts or feelings.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri