Let’s avoid the trap of thinking we’ve got plenty of time clean up our spiritual act before “the parents come home.”
You know the setting.
Teens doing things at home that teens shouldn’t do, thinking that Mom and Dad won’t be home for a couple of hours.
But then the door opens and the “Oh no!” feelings start flying as fast as the excuses.
There’s no easy way out of such a mess.
It’s so much better to be found doing right than to be found doing wrong.
“Oh no!” is never a good feeling, especially when it comes to Christ’s return.
Matthew 25 contains the story of 10 bridesmaids who knew the bridegroom was coming sometime, they just weren’t sure when. Five were fully prepared with oil for their lamps and five weren’t.
The latter group wanted more time, akin to teens telling Mom and Dad to drive around the block for another 30 minutes while the teens undid what they shouldn’t have been doing.
Listen, whatever there is in our lives that shouldn’t be there — harbored bitterness, closets of the soul packed with immoral thoughts or actions, unbridled envy of another — we need to throw it out, replacing it with the oil of God’s Word and Holy Spirit influence.
You see, we just don’t know how much time we have before our moment of accountability.
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (Matthew 25:13)
A text-messaging driver could prompt our “meet Jesus” moment with no warning. It happens all the time, you know.
Let’s make sure that we don’t have an “Oh no!” moment when our life ends.
Let’s get ready now.
Let’s make sure to get our spiritual house in order so that our heavenly Dad can look at our lives and say with joy, “Well done” rather than say with sadness, “What have you done?”
As always, I love you
Martin
