Matthew 25 :1-13

The parable of the ten virgins is a story about a wedding feast. The young women are given the task of waiting for and announcing the coming of  the bridegroom.  The time is never exactly known so the girls get ready and bring their lamps to burn through the night as needed.  We are told that half of these girls came well prepared with extra oil, while the other half did not.  All of the girls dozed off as the night fell and the groom had not come yet.  It was at midnight that the shouts were heard.. calling the girls out to meet him on his way. 

Now, the girls that brought the extra oil were ready. They trimmed their lamps, refilled the oil, and were good to go.  But, the other girls had to go purchase more oil,  for their lamps were going out.  By the time they were able to get more oil and return to the wedding feast, it was too late.  The doors were closed and they were not granted access. 

The sad result of this situation is that these 5 young women would never be allowed into the place of joy and happiness. The "lord" of the house said, "I do not know you."  All because they were not ready.. not prepared.. not alert..  They are like the evil slaves in the last parable.. not found being faithful for the coming One... 

It seems harsh to us, doesn't it?  After all they waited with the other girls.  They did have lamps.. but just because they ran out of oil.. why couldn't they come in a bit later?   But.. Jesus is talking about the kingdom of heaven here.. and about His coming.  He wants us to be alert and ready for that day even though we do not know the "day nor the hour"..  He wants us to be shining His Light every day and every night so that we will be ready no matter when He comes. 

Oil is often associated with the Holy Spirit when we read the Word.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:18 that we need to be "filled with the Spirit"..  We have learned that this means to be continually kept filled... with the Spirit of God.. walking in the Spirit.. praying in the Spirit.. conformed to the will of God by His Spirit. Only then, can we be alert, ready, prepared, and enduring until the day when the Bridegroom Comes.

An old Sunday School song comes to mind ... "Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning!  Give me oil in my lamp, I pray!  Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning, burning.. Burning til the break of day!"

Father in heaven, fill us once again.. continually fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we might be found faithful and ready for the return of our Lord Jesus. Amen.