Ten virgins took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps, but did not take any oil with them. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom!' Then all the virgins woke up. While the foolish ones were on their way to buy more oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. The brides who wait for the Lord’s Second Coming will not enter the wedding banquet in the air on the day of His coming if they don’t prepare enough of ‘the oil of faith’ and ‘the oil of love’.
If we are foolish, lazy, or changeable, believing that we have been abandoned by God, we will be truly miserable. We must stay on our toes, doing mission until the very end. We should risk our lives for the mission given by the Lord. If we become foolish and lazy, we cannot keep our faith. God will have no interest in such people. He works for those who keep the faith constantly to the end.
The Israelites who escaped from Egypt were going towards Canaan. Moses sent twelve spies to explore Canaan. Ten of them reported negatively. (Numbers 13:31)
They forgot the fact that they had crossed the Red Sea, eaten manna in the wilderness, drunk water from the rock, and experienced the miraculous signs of God’s protection by the pillar of cloud. Truly, the Lord numbers the very hairs of our heads. (Luke 12:7)
Though gold is spilt or broken, its value does not change. In the same way, we must not be changed whatever persecution or tribulation may come upon us. We must not be broken, even if our faith is subjected to intense attack. We must be strong and sturdy vessels to be used in the hands of the Lord at any time.
Pastor Seok-Jeon Yoon
Extracted from the church newspaper #590 (September, 1 2018)
