Dressed for the Feast
October 30
Dressed for the Feast
"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut."
— Matthew 25:10
Today's Story
The parable of the ten virgins is one of the most sobering in Jesus' teaching about His return. Five were prepared: they had brought extra oil for the waiting. Five were not: they had brought just enough for the expected arrival time. When the bridegroom was delayed and the lamps began to dim, the unprepared went to buy more oil — and while they were away, the bridegroom came. The door was shut. The prepared ones went in. The parable is not about who was smarter; it is about who had taken the long waiting seriously enough to prepare for it. The return of Christ requires a readiness that is not acquired at the last moment.
Reflection
Matthew 25:10's 'the door was shut' is one of the sternest lines in Jesus' teaching — a door closed on those who thought they had more time. The context of Matthew 24-25 is the extended teaching on the end times. The recurring theme is readiness: the faithful servant, the watchful homeowner, the prepared virgins, the faithful steward. The readiness required is not fearful preparation for calamity but faithful, joyful preparation for arrival. The wise virgins didn't have anxiety about the delay — they had enough oil. Long waiting requires long preparation. The Christian life is meant to be a continuous state of readiness — not a last-minute scramble.
Today's Prayer
Lord, let me be ready — genuinely, sustainably, joyfully ready for Your return. Give me the long-term readiness that the prepared virgins had: enough oil for the waiting, however long it is. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
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