When we’re watching something or someone, we’re intently looking, paying close attention to our object of focus. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:37, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.” Interestingly, He goes on to tell us, “Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table, and will come and wait on them.”
Yeshuaschildart.com
A part of being ready is “watching”; the Greek word, grēgoreō or grēgorountas, which indicates staying awake; being alert, and in constant readiness; while the word luchnos is the Greek word for lamps, as in portable lamps. While watching we are waiting and make ourselves “ready” by keeping our “lamps” burning. Lamps of that day were kept burning with oil.
Oil in the Bible represents the Holy Spirit. We are to be the containers that hold the oil the Father provides. So, we should remember to stay alert and keep our lamps in good working condition. When our bridegroom comes, He will then recognize that oil within us.
A notable passage regarding lamps and oil in Matthew 25:1-13 is the parable of the ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. Upon going to meet their bridegroom, the wise virgins took their lamps as well as oil in jars for the lamps. The foolish virgins only took their lamps. They fell asleep waiting for the bridegroom as he took a long time to come. However, at midnight a voice cried out the bridegroom had arrived and to come out to meet him.
Ten Virgins by George Cocco
All the virgins awoke and trimmed their lamps while the foolish virgins asked the wise ones for some of their oil as their lamps were going out. But the wise ones declined telling them there might not be enough to do so and to go and buy some oil from those who sold it. While the foolish virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came and the virgins who were ready went into the wedding banquet with Him, and the door was shut.
Later, the foolish virgins came crying out for the bridegroom, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us,” but He answered, “Truly, I tell you, I don’t know you.” The parable ends with the warning to “keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.”
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Jesus tells us in Luke 12:35-36, that like servants waiting for their master to return, we need to be dressed and ready so that when he comes, we can “immediately open the door for him.” But how are we to be dressed? Naturally, when we get dressed, we assess where we are going, what we’ll be doing, and what type of attire the event will require. Then, we assemble those items and clothe ourselves appropriately.
When we are dressed for the Lord’s service, we ascertain what is required for that service and clothe ourselves as such. The Bible tells us what kind of clothes the Lord desires when it says in Colossians 3:14 to put on love. Colossians 3:12 tells us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We’re also told in 1 Timothy 2:10, that as women, we are to be adorned with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
Most likely, we all know what it’s like to have someone visit unexpectedly. If we had no idea they were coming, there’s a good chance we may not be dressed, and if we aren’t especially neat, our living room may not be pleasantly comfortable to receive guests. So with the future event of the Lord’s return, we are blessed to be ready at all times as Jesus will come at an hour when we don’t expect him (Luke 12:40).
Ms. Rita's Minute 