Pastor Larry Gatlin, SW Oregon
Many years ago I read a line that has
stuck with me ever since. It goes like this; “Many think that they will wait
until the midnight hour to accept Christ. The problem is, He may return at 11:45.”
Matt 25:6-13 "And at midnight a cry was
heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8
And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are
going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No,
lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who
sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and
the door was shut. 11 "Afterward the other virgins came
also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly,
I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 "Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is
coming. NKJV
Since we will not know the day or the
hour of the Lords return, Jesus said that we are to know the seasons in which
He will return. The Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign as to His identity His
authority. His reply must have been a bit concerning to them, Matt 16:1-3 The
Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them
a sign from heaven. 2
He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the
sky is red,' 3
and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.'
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret
the signs of the times.
NIV
We too often look for signs of His return. But they’re all around us.
Everywhere we look today there are signs of His soon return. We see wars, and
rumors of war. There are earthquakes, unusual weather patterns, volcanoes, and
other abnormal activities happening all over the world. The Middle East is a
virtual political, emotional, and literal, powder keg just waiting for the
right issue to ignite a short fuse.
The signs of the times are telling us that the Groom is about to r3eturn
for His Bride. Although we may not know the day or the hour of His return, we
certainly must look around us and know that we are at the eleventh hour. The
Groom is going to return and we must be prepared.
Unlike the “foolish virgins” we must keep our lives full of the Oil of
the Holy Spirit and be watching and waiting for His return. We must live every
day of our lives as if that were the day He will return. Our lives must be
lived in such a way as to expect Him to appear at any given moment. He could
return at any time of the day or night, any time of the year or any year. I
would never place a date or time on His return. But as I survey the landscape
of society, scriptures, and current events, I’d say we are very close.
So as His Bride we must be prepared to show ourselves as a Spotless
Bride without spot or blemish, a bride that is fully expecting the coming of
the groom. We must let our lights shine. Live holy before Him, and watch with
great expectation every day for His
return for His Bride.
