Daily Devotion, October 25, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Matthew 25:1-13.

Today in our worship services, we will conclude our focus on some of the parables of Jesus that only Matthew includes in his Gospel. Our devotional writings this week have anticipated this parable, which continues a key theme for this writer. It is basically the Scout motto I remember learning as a boy: Be prepared.

Parables are sometimes like dreams we have: not all the details make sense. This parable is like that (e.g., a bridegroom arriving at midnight for the wedding, shops being open at midnight to sell oil). Furthermore, we cannot impose our wedding practices on those of first-century Palestine.

 

Still, there are certainly lessons to learn from this parable. For instance, all the bridegrooms (NIV - “virgins”) look the same and all appear to be prepared. But some are only prepared for a certain amount of time. Others are prepared, even when things did not go as they expected. I wonder how we might apply that to our life in Christ in this day and time? I hope you will join us for worship today, either in person or online, as we explore that together. Personal Worship Option:

One option for being prepared to be with Jesus at any time is to live your life as if the words of this song by Andrae Crouch are always in the back of your mind:  

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King;

soon and very soon, we are going to see the King;

soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King.