Not Ready

Not Ready

June 25, 2018

Matthew 25:10  "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived."

Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven through parables. He did so several times, from several different angles, all so the point could get driven home. One of the themes of describing the Kingdom of Heaven was in reference to its timing. The timing of Heaven, when the Lord comes back again, will come as a surprise. He said expect it to come and wait patiently for it, but also in constant preparation for it, staying prepared. It will come when you least expect it and if you are not ready, then you will miss it.

Consider a storm shelter. If there hasn't been a storm in years and the storm shelter gets used as storage for junk, and isn't kept clean with fresh supplies, it will be no good in the day of trouble. A storm shelter's role is to provide safety during the severest of storms and it must be ready without notice, as predicting a severe storm is often impossible. The supplies in a storm shelter need to be refreshed constantly, even if it isn't being used, so when the time comes it can keep people alive. But it takes time and effort to maintain the readiness of a storm shelter. On warm and sunny days, when there is no threat of a storm, it is easy to get lazy and put off keeping the storm shelter ready. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven will come, but there will be many people who will have grown weary in staying prepared for it.

The parable of the ten virgins, waiting for the bridegroom, speaks to the readiness required for the Kingdom of Heaven. The bridegroom came in the middle of the night, and those who had not stayed prepared for it, and needed oil, were caught off-guard. They had been ready days and weeks ago, but got lazy and complacent, failing to stay prepared. When the bridegroom was coming, they had to go get oil for their lamps. In short, they were not ready and therefore had to hurry in an effort to not miss it. Unfortunately, when the bridegroom came back, they were not ready. In fact, they were not even present when the bridegroom came; they were off buying oil. Not only were they not ready, they were off doing something else.

While the parable speaks to the coming of the Lord, and being ready at all times with salvation in heart and hand, the parable speaks to the timing of the Lord and staying prepared for Him in general. No matter what it is in life, staying prepared is critical. In the Christian walk, this is not meant to stand alone for salvation, but for all aspects of the Lord's timing. You are either ready for the Lord to show up or you are not. There is no middle ground. You are either ready for the Lord to come back and save you or you will miss it. You are either ready for the Lord to bring about your miracle or you will miss it. You are either ready for the Lord to use you and take you to the next place in life or yo will miss it. If you are not ready, when the Lord brings about His timing, then you will miss it and be found doing something else.

What is worse than missing the Lord's time or His miracle, because you were not prepared for it, is what you'll be caught doing instead. The virgins were caught going to buy oil, but what will you be doing? Will you be proud of what you'll be caught doing, serving the poor or serving yourself? Not only will you miss the Lord's timing, but you'll suffer the embarrassment of what He will find you doing instead. 

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Matt 25