At A Moment’s Notice

At a Moment’s Notice

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. Matthew 25:10-13

Whether it’s Y2K or 2012, it seems people have been predicting the end of the world on a fairly regular basis these days. Kind of like the old joke about economists predicting ten of the last five recessions.

I don’t know when it’s coming—and neither do you. Neither did Jesus. As He said in Matthew 24:36, “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”

What I do know, however, is that God says we are to stay prepared, spiritually ready for both that moment of Christ’s return and that moment when our lives on earth end. In Jesus’ parable of the ten bridesmaids in Matthew 25, five of them were foolish and five of them were wise in their preparations. All ten of them knew the bridegroom was coming; they just didn’t know exactly when he would arrive. The details of wedding customs in Jesus’ day are not known—possibly it was the bridesmaids’ duty to accompany the bridegroom to the wedding feast (as told in this parable) or else to escort the wedded couple back to their home. In either case, the young women needed to have enough oil in their lamps to light the path.

When awakened from sleep, five of the bridesmaids jumped out of bed, grabbed their lamps, and hurried out to the waiting bridegroom. The other five had to collect themselves, then scramble to find an open store where they could buy oil. Their delay cost them the celebration.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Have you accepted the free gift He offers through what He did for each one of us on the cross? Are you trying to live according to the ideals He has set forth in His Word?

None of us are promised tomorrow. Don’t put off asking Christ into your life until then. Don’t be late like the five bridesmaids were.

Uncommon Key > The gift of eternal life is available to each of us as a free gift. Have you accepted it by asking Christ into your life? Don’t be late!