“Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. (Matthew 25:7)
I recently listened to a podcast entitled ‘Get Your Spiritual Seatbelts Fastened and Your Bibles Ready’. The title alone was enough to make me find out more!
The parable of the 5 foolish and 5 wise virgins is in fact a sobering and even frightening parable as Jesus is speaking to His Bridal Party who are you and I.
Listening to the podcast, it struck me that to be effective Mobilisers we need to be fully prepared for the Celebration feast. The lamps contained oil, and the wicks were the means of burning oil for illumination. It was therefore important to bring extra oil if the initial supply was used up, to give on-going light in the darkness. If there was insufficient oil, it would be like going out in the dark with a flashlight having no batteries!
The primary symbol of oil in Scripture is to symbolize the Holy Spirit and His anointing on our lives. The 5 foolish virgins were lacking that which was essential in order to participate in the wedding feast – very sobering.
As mobilisers, we need to trimmed, prepared and be able to distinguish between the possession of saving faith and simply professing of it. Our faith needs to be authentic and genuine and to have taken root in our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. By examining and studying the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, we will discover if our lamp is full and our wick trimmed.
It is only by being ready and waiting and keeping watch that we will be able to welcome the Bridegroom and participate in the Great Banquet and prepare others to do likewise.