Will You Marry Me?Sample

Prepared

Over and over, we see references in Scripture to the return of Jesus being unexpected. Today, we’ll learn the importance of being prepared for it, even though no one knows the hour He’ll come.

The 10 virgins in the parable we’re studying are awakened by the bridegroom. They all trim their lamps, but the foolish ones don’t have the oil ready. The virgins with no oil try to take the oil from the ones who have it, but the ones with the oil won’t give it up. The foolish virgins were unprepared.
 

There’s a lesson here: You can’t receive the Holy Spirit by asking it of another person. It’s a personal decision. We all have to accept the gift of salvation on our own. We’re not saved because our parents, grandparents, or close friends are saved. 

Let’s take a look at two scenarios to better understand what it means to be ready. Imagine that you’re going on a trip and your flight leaves early in the morning. 

Here’s Scenario 1: 

It’s the night before your early morning flight. You know you should start packing, but you can’t get motivated to start. You stay up way too late watching Netflix and forget to set an alarm. Morning comes and panic sets in. You’ve overslept! 

This is what the unprepared virgins in the parable might’ve felt like. I hate this scenario because I’ve definitely overslept and been late to the airport before. When Jesus comes back for us, He’ll come at a time no one will expect, so we need to have our spiritual lives in order. We don’t want to be caught sleeping and miss the plane! 

Now let’s look at Scenario 2: 

It’s the night before the big trip. Your bags are packed and ready to go. You check in for your flight on your phone. You double-check your alarm and go to bed early. Your clothes and shoes are neatly laid out by your bed and your hair has been washed and blown dry to save a step in the morning. (Girls, I know you get this hair-already-done thing. Good hair is crucial in this plan.) You wake up, make your coffee, get ready, and head to the airport early. 

I think we can all agree that Scenario 2 is a much better way to start a trip! So, how can we be prepared for when Jesus comes for us? 

We need to have the oil in our lamps by asking Jesus to come dwell inside us. That’s how we accept His invitation to marriage. By drinking this cup of acceptance, we can be assured that we belong to Him for all eternity. 

Then, we stay awake spiritually and use the gifts He’s given us to bring Him glory. We shine our light for Jesus in this dark world. 

Jesus wants us to fully run the race He’s marked out for us. He wants us to throw off everything that hinders us, fix our eyes on Him, and watch for the signs that He’s coming. 

Jesus will come back for His bride. That’s a promise. We want Him to find us prepared and pursuing Him. Let’s live betrothed to Him and spiritually awake, fully expecting His return.