Today’s Bible Reading:
Matthew 25:1-13

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
13“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Verse of the Day:

Devotional Reading:

We continue reading in Matthew today and Jesus is telling another parable that emphasizes how important it is to be ready for His return.

Key points of this story:

• Jesus is the groom in this parable.
• 10 bridesmaids, 5 wise and 5 foolish.
• The groom is delayed – this could be the way that Jesus tells the disciples His return won’t come quickly in their time on earth during their ministries.
• The groom returns in the middle of the night – a time when no one expects him.
• The wise bridesmaids had enough oil in their lamps to go out and meet the groom.
• The foolish bridesmaids did not have enough oil and had to go to the store to buy more. They are not back when the groom arrives.
• Jesus takes those that are ready to the wedding celebration and the doors are shut.
• The foolish bridesmaids arrive, but cannot get in and Jesus tells them that he does not know them.
• This is a sign that some will be lost while others will be saved.
• We must be ready – no one knows the day or hour.

I think about so many things with this story.

Related to weddings, I’ve been that person that was late to a wedding (because we had the time wrong of when it started!!) and we watched the end of the wedding from outside the doors of the sanctuary through a little window. Weddings are just those kinds of things that if you’re late, you miss out! It’s not respectful to enter as the bridal party is coming in. I wonder if weddings back in the time of Jesus were the same way?

Related to middle of the night – maybe Jesus made me a little more prepared than most others!!! Ha. I just had to throw that in there since I’m almost always up at midnight 🙂

We can choose to be wise: prepared, alert and ready.

Or we can choose to be foolish: unprepared, locked out and separated for eternity.

I like what Melissa said in the comments yesterday, “These are some of the scariest stories in the Bible!”

I totally agree.
There is no sugar coating what Jesus taught about the coming future.
We don’t have time to waste.

Lord, create an urgency in us that we can’t live a day without seeking You and working to impact Your Kingdom.

To illustrate today’s reading, I have another song for you – One of my all time favorites that talks about being ready at the Midnight Cry!

PS – reminder, tomorrow is our day of rest!

~Starr

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