Are you like the Virgins?

Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.

Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil,for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it,the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake,for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

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I have often contemplated and meditated on this Gospel message and my perceived meaning of it. The other day I was told of a story of a family that was hiking and rock climbing. The mother was preparing to take a picture of her husband and children at the edge of a cliff when all the sudden the ground gave way and their 5 year old son fell to the ground, He died.

Suddenly..... He was gone.

Life can change so quickly.

When all seems fine, stable and safe, it can be altered in an instant: a car or motorcycle incident, a hidden health condition, an act of evil, an accident, etc.

Are we as ready for Christ today, right at this moment, as ready as we would want to be if we knew He was coming?

Think about it, Are you truly ready?

Jesus has told us over and over that He will come like a thief in the night, that we know neither the day nor the hour of His return, but that He will return.

Are we ready for Him, are we prepared?

Are we like the prepared virgins in the gospel, thinking ahead of what is required, or are we just going through the motions?

Should we not live our lives as if we shall possibly be meeting Jesus Today, actually planning on it!

If we lived each day as if that was to be the day that we will meet Him, wouldn't that possibly change how we act, how we make decisions, how we treat other people, knowing that we will meet Jesus that day, and then wondering if He will even know us, want to know us.

Which Virgins in the gospel more closely describe you?

Which group of virgins do you want to be more like?