I Am Coming! Are You Ready?

 
            Growing up, our gang of neighbourhood kids often played “Hide and Seek”.  While one person closed their eyes and counted to a certain number, everyone else would scatter and hide. When the counting was over, the person who was “It” would yell out, “Ready or not, here I come!”

            A similar call is ringing out over the earth today. Jesus is coming back for His bride. “On that day, with a command that thunders into the world, with a voice of a chief heavenly messenger, and with a blast of God’s trumpet, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven; and all those who died in the Anointed One, our Liberating King, will rise from the dead first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16 VOICE). When that happens, time for preparation will be over.

            In Matthew 25 Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins who were given the task of being ready to meet the bridegroom. Five of them brought enough oil for their lamps and five did not. The virgins represent all those waiting for Christ’s return and the lamps, the outward profession of faith. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and represents true faith and a living relationship with God through Jesus. The bridegroom is Jesus.

           This parable illustrates the contrast between those who develop an intimate relationship with the Saviour,  spending time daily with Him in His Word, praying, and soaking in the beauty of His Presence (the wise), and those who outwardly profess faith but lack true commitment (the foolish).

         When the bridegroom arrived, the prepared virgins went with him into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The unprepared virgins were left outside, pleading, “’Lord! Lord! Open the door for us’” ( Matthew 25:11 NLT). “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’” (Matthew 25:12 NLT).  

         Jesus concluded the parable with a sober warning. “Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come” (Matthew 25:13 AMPC).

         As the above verse states, we don’t know the exact timing of Christ’s return. Therefore, in order to be ready, we need to live ready – in a state of spiritual preparedness. “Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his Bride has prepared herself” (Revelation 19:7 CJB).

         In closing, I ask myself these questions. Do I love Jesus more than anyone or anything else in this world? Do I spend time with Him daily, basking in His Presence, reading His Word, and communing with Him in prayer? Or do I leave Him on the sidelines, because I'm too busy with the things of this world?
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        Can we say with the apostle John, “Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua!” (Revelation 22:20 CJB). As I examine my heart before God, I ask myself, am I ready for His coming? Are you?