(Long Post Warning - but when He is so evident in our midst... I have to share or "the stones will cry out".)
I would be remiss to not point to His power, His presence, His patience and His persistence in longing each soul to return to relationship with Him.
This morning, I gathered with two old friends in a shared prayer. I asked the Holy Spirit to help intervene as only He can do. I know that whenever two or three or gathered, He is present in a special way. I am so grateful He is not limited by our time and space... and technology allows us to gather together even when miles and continents separate us.
The Spirit brought my heart to Matthew 25:1-13. It felt odd - even as I was praying, but I trusted His lead. When the prayer and conversation was done, I felt compelled to go to Matthew and dig a little deeper. I savor the fact that we can read the parables of Jesus hundreds of times and each time, He grants fresh eyes and new learning. His Word is living and breathing.
The Bible is not magical. It is a Holy, powerful tool in our hands and for our hearts. It is Supernatural, because ... well... HE is God and it is His Word. The sacred Trinity is three in One and One in three. So much for my human brain to try and comprehend, but he will not judge us on our brains, only on our faith and our hearts.
The simple trust of a child moves His heart like nothing else. It is okay if we "don't grasp it, can't explain it or completely understand it". We are directed to seek his heart... which really looks more like chasing his heart. (When you seek for something, you are doing it with a passion.)
Back to Matthew 25:1-13 Read it here: It is the parable where the Bride is waiting for her Groom.
We just celebrated the marriage of our niece, Ciara to her sweet man, Cody. A marriage is fresh in my heart. They were surrounded by couples who have been faithful in marriage for many, many years.
One special Aunt and Uncle in attendance would only have a few more precious weeks to share, but their hearts were making the most of the moment. The newlyweds could not help but notice their joy and gratitude in being able to be there with their girl... with them in the celebration. Cancer did not steal their joy on that day!
It warmed my heart to see the evidence of love everywhere. One of the sweetest moments of the day is the Bride preparing (with her Mother and Bridesmaids) for the wedding and wedding feast. One of the most memorable moments is the "First Look" when the Bridegroom comes for his bride. Honestly, it is one of my favorite moments, and it is private. Practically the only private moment the couple shares until leaving the reception late in the evening.
The Bride waits with anticipation and joy, but the truth is... her life is about to change. She will change her name, moving the covering of her Father's name and house to her new Groom. He will protect her now, and she will fiercely guard his heart. The Bridesmaids have been a part of their love story. They are eager to watch the day unfold. It is the Bridesmaid's job to be prepared.
In the Parable, Jesus tells of the Ten Bridesmaids who came prepared with plenty of oil for their lamps. Five were prepared. Five were not. In today's language - five bridesmaids came with plenty of safety pins, hair pins, tissues, Beef Jerky, hairspray, coffee (yes, she is my niece) snacks, and water. The other five did not. They were more concerned, perhaps, with their own appearances or were caught up in the excitement of the party to think about what was really needed to be ready for the big moment.
This parable used to bother me, because of the five who did not share. I grew up with Mama Ina Mae! They say, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Mama Ina Mae didn't mind a little dirt, but your ability to share said a great deal about the state of your heart. You had better share!
Today, as that passage steeped like tea on my soul, I found that the message was clear. Only we can prepare our souls to meet Jesus by doing the work of belief, confession and acceptance in our own hearts.
Just like the Bridesmaids had to prepare their own lamps, the other Bridesmaids could not cover them. They had to take responsibility for themselves. When the Bridegroom arrived, they were not ready. The Groom did not recognize them as ones who belonged. He wasn't being unkind. What he said was, "I don't know you as one who is invited." I don't recognize you as one who belongs.
Not everyone had matching dresses in those days. Many outsiders would have loved to slip into the wedding celebration that would last for days. Good food and plenty of wine. Everyone loves a party. Their big job was to be ready when the Groom came for the Bride. Even if the Groom knew them by name, he did not know if they really belonged to the celebration of the Marriage and Marriage Feast.
If you think God is not present in the littlest things, continue on. I got chills today... good chills.
Even if you do not believe in God, let me tell you what happened in the sermon I heard today. If you are a Mathematician, what are the odds? There are 66 books in the Bible with 1,189 chapters and roughly 807, 361 words (depending on Translation) .
The Pastor started with Matthew 24:44 (NLT):
"You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
It is near the end of the chapter, just before the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids. Boy, did God have my attention! (Like Samuel, I thought "Yes, Lord, your servant is listening.")
Jesus tried to tell people of things to come. He spelled things out in Chapter 24, and then he retold it in Chapter 25 as a parable. He wanted them to understand and be prepared.
Then, the Pastor proceeded to pray a prayer with several who surrendered... either in victory or defeat... to Jesus... our Yeshua. He is not simply a prophet or a great teacher, but the Son of the Living God, the Long Awaited Messiah, The Son of David and "exactly who He claimed to be". (Credit to C.S. Lewis for seeding that thought.)
What was the prayer the Pastor prayed?
"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." -Romans 10:9
When Christ comes for His Bride, we want to be ready. We want oil in our lamps. We want to be lighting the way so others can see He is coming. We want to be prepared. We can light the way, but each must prepare their own lamp and their own heart.
If you made it to the end of this Gratitude Post, thank you. I pray it came out the way He intended.
Today, I am grateful for reminders to be prepared.
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