Are You Ready for Jesus’ Return?

I do not have to tell you that we are living in perilous times. Just a few minutes on Social Media or cable news highlights sin, greed, and tragedy at an alarming rate. Some days the voices of God’s enemies seem louder than those of us who love Him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. The wickedness of this world often leads to end-of-times discussions amongst my family, friends, and me. Exasperated, I added, “The evil and vile acts of this world are not sustainable. The end has to be near!”

Of course, we do not know the day or the hour, but we do know that we must be prepared for Jesus’ return. If you recall, the parable in Matthew 25 is a stark reminder of the importance of proper preparation.  

Knowing He only had a few days left to physically walk among His beloved disciples, Jesus gathered with them on the Mount of Olives. There our Savior shared the second-to-last parable He would ever speak—the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Jesus referenced the familiarity of Jewish wedding customs to teach the disciples.  Let’s revisit the story.

Five prudent virgins kept their lamps full of oil, and they had additional flasks of oil to keep their lamps burning, whereas five foolish virgins had lamps but no extra oil. Why is this significant? This is where the wedding custom is pertinent. During antiquity, wedding receptions lasted seven days, with the bridegroom and his entourage kicking off the festivities unannounced, and in the dark of night.

With torches to light their way through the streets, the men leave the groom’s home for him to receive his betrothed. Only she does not know when he will arrive. She must be ready, with enough oil in her lamp while she waits for him, as well as extra oil to light her way and that of her bridesmaids. They will take the same dark route, lighting their way to return to the groom’s house to begin the wedding ceremony.

She waits with bated breath for the men’s arrival to finally be one with her husband. She would not dare make him wait, nor would she proclaim, “I didn’t know you were coming today! I need more time.” The bride has waited her whole life for this moment; she knows what is expected of her, and she will be ready.

Jesus reminded his beloveds that the kingdom of Heaven would be like the ten virgins. Of course, the disciples had no idea that, a few days after hearing this parable, Jesus would be sacrificed for their sins and ours. But the Lord knew and gave them and us this precious lesson that the bridegroom, who is Jesus, will return for his bride – the church. No man knows the day or the hour. We must remain faithful and live righteously so that when He returns, we are prepared when He calls us to be united with Him forever.

There is more to the parable, though: a stark warning that the bridegroom will shut the door to the wedding feast and only those who are ready will be permitted. Jesus said the foolish virgins did not take measures to ensure they had enough oil, and when the alarm sounded, they panicked and asked the other women to share so they too could light their way to the groom’s home.

Would you share and risk your position with the bridegroom? Do not feel bad if you said no. The bride and her companions told the unprepared virgins, “No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves” (Matthew 25:8).

When they left to gather the supplies, the groom returned. He left without them, shut the door, and did not open it again. For those women to be so close, only to be left behind because of their disobedience, must have been harrowing. I do not know about you, but the thought of Jesus shutting and locking the door because I failed to live for Him and thought that I had more time fills me with despair.

I want to be ready when the sound is called. But what does that look like today, since we do not need oil to light our path down dark streets? 1 John 2:28 tells us to abide in our Lord. The verse reads, “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.”

Here are three ways to abide in Jesus:

1. Read the Bible to learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
2. Pray continuously to be in fellowship with the Lord.
3. Serve the Kingdom of God by tending to His sheep.

It may be frustrating to watch and read the news, especially when it appears that evil doers are not punished. I want to encourage you, as I encourage myself, that living righteously helps us abide in the Lord, and rest assured that we will be ready when Jesus returns and will live with Him forever. ready when Jesus returns.

May God keep you and bless you,
Tika

What I am Reading: 
The Characters of Creation: The Men, Women, Creatures, and Serpent Present at the Beginning of the World by Daniel Darling. Every Christian who has ever wanted to take an exploratory dive into the creation story must add this book to their Christian studies.

Notable Quote: 

“People’s weariness comes from enduring their own burdens.” Pastor De’Andre Burgs

Just for fun:

If you are in Grand Rapids on Saturday, October 24th from 10:30 am – 3:30 pm, stop by my author table. I’d love to meet you and chat about faith and our journeys.