If We Stay Ready...

Nov 5

3 min read

five bright lamps with extra oil, five dimming lamps beside empty vessels, and a warmly lit banquet hall at the end of an illuminated path — Created using Canva

6 But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 Later the other young women came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13 Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:6-13)

In one of Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of God, he compared it to ten young women preparing for a coming bridegroom. Five of the women brought extra oil for their lamps in anticipation of an extended wait and five brought only their lamps with the oil that was already in them. When the bridegroom was delayed all of them fell asleep. At midnight the shout that the bridegroom was approaching finally came. Those who had brought extra oil were able to re-light their lamps, but those who had not had to go out at that late hour and try to get more oil. While they were out, the bridegroom arrived and the doors were closed as the celebration began with those who had been prepared. The unprepared women were not allowed entry when they returned.

All of the women in Jesus' story knew the bridegroom was coming and none of them knew exactly when. Some of them understood the need to live the costly life of faith, using their resources to have and be what was needed to be ready for the reign of God. The others thought they would have enough time to turn from short-term thinking to the way of Wisdom. We live in a time of already and not yet - Jesus has already lived, died, and was raised to redeem us but, since the world is not yet freed from rule by the empires of greed and corruption, we have to choose to let Jesus rule. We say we desire God's reign, but are we willing to spend ourselves for justice and righteousness? Truly, the shout has already been raised - Christ came! As our lives produce the oil of salvation, the banquet will be open to us here and now. The popular saying is true: If we stay ready, we ain't gotta get ready!

God's kingdom come, God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.(Isaiah 61:10-11)

20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? 21 I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5:20-24)

See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4)

Enjoy this classic spiritual (you'll need to turn up your volume)