Are You Awake and Watching???

Matthew 25:1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins

[ “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return." ]

Are we awake and watching? Did we bring enough oil to wait as long as it takes? The 5 foolish were apparently only willing to wait a certain amount of time because for they ran out of oil. They didn't bring enough 'extra oil' to last. If you remember from the post on Feb. 3 titled, "I am the wick...", as talked about, the oil represents annointing. The Scripture says, that all of them 'got up' and all of them 'prepared their lamps' but only the five wise had enough to keep the fire burning. Remember, they couldn't let the fire go out. What did the 5 foolish do? They tried to get the oil (annointing) from the others. It doesn't work that way... You have to be kindling your own fire, you have to watch and wait. Remember if the candle was not trimmed a certain way and have just the right amount of oil (as talked about in that previous post) the fire would not radiate the glory of God. If the 5 wise gave the 5 foolish some of their oil then none of the 10 would have the correct amount. The 5 wise, as you can see in the Scriptures, kept the fire burning, they did not let their annointing die, they tended their spirits and they were accepted into God's Kingdom. The 5 foolish let their fire go out, they only wanted to wait to a certain point and because God doesn't work on our time table, He works on His own time table, they let their fire go out. They wanted it to happen their way and because it didn't, they let their fire go out.

Keep the wicks trimmed just right and the oil filled and let God's light shine through us!
Let God continue to rid us of all the excess we don't need and shouldn't have in our lives, and let Him fill us where we are empty; let us keep our focus always upon Christ and Him Crucified and continually be filled with the Holy Spirit and fire; and may we let Christ shine through us that we all be living testimonies of Him!