What is the importance of vigilance in a life of faith?

Have you ever been late for a wedding because you missed your train or got stuck in traffic? Annoying, but if you weren't the bride, groom, bridesmaid or best man, you were probably let in anyway. It was a different story for some of the virgins in Jesus' parable. Five of the ten women had too little oil with them and when the groom came in the night, the five unprepared virgins had to fetch new oil. But when they returned, they were too late and were not let in.

In the Bible, oil stands for the Holy Spirit. We are a vessel of God and should allow ourselves to be filled with the Spirit (oil) so that we can burn for Jesus. Jesus is the groom and the church is his bride. Jesus wants all people to be saved, which is why so many invitations have been sent out for this wedding. But not everyone will show up. And just as you can't be a week late if you don't want to miss your friends' wedding party, you can't delay your decision for Jesus forever, because the bridegroom will come at some point.

We need to be prepared for the end times so that we don't stop burning. It is our personal responsibility to cultivate our relationship with God every day and to build up a personal supply of spiritual oil. We must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us daily so that our passion for Jesus does not die out when He returns. We regularly check the oil level in our car to ensure that the engine is not damaged. What about your oil level check regarding the Holy Spirit? Do you regularly take a spiritual inventory?

Jesus regularly withdrew to be filled by God (cf. Mark 1:35). Not only in the storms of life, but also in the supposedly calm times, we should do as Jesus did and let the Holy Spirit fill us anew every day. Because only God knows when Jesus will return. So let us be ready to keep our oil lamps full and our hearts in constant readiness so that we can wait for the bridegroom with joy and expectation.

Next Step: What is your “oil level”? Do you already know the fire of the Holy Spirit? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what it means to burn for Jesus.