The PassionSample

There’s nothing worse than arriving at a wedding empty-handed. You’ve been invited to the most special day of someone’s life! What if this person was your best friend? One of the most important people in your life. Surely you wouldn’t rock up without a present, let alone a card?

Well, here is a parable about ten virgins: five of which showed up, prepared and ready… and another five who were unprepared. The reward for the five who were prepared was great! They were brought into the marriage feast and into the celebration and party. But for those who were unprepared—who went off to retrieve the oil during the celebration—they weren’t let back in! And the Lord said, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:12 ESV) It’s quite the punishment. Jesus ends this parable with a warning: “Watch therefore, for you neither know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13 ESV)

You will be held accountable for your own faith and preparedness on the day of Christ’s return. We are called to live a life of faith and repentance, and so, do we often find ourselves focusing on things that ultimately don’t matter? Are you allocating time, energy, and resources to the things of this world? Jesus warns us to not be caught lacking when He returns. And that’s a when, not an if.

Today, ponder this: Are you prepared for the big day? What would a wise person do to prepare for the return of Jesus? Maybe there are some things in your life that you need to let go of, and maybe there are some things you need to reconcile with God in order for you to fully come to Him.