Be Prepared

One of my major themes for the Old Testament was that of preparation--after the Exodus, Moses prepared the people to occupy the Promised Land, Isaiah and Jeremiah prepared the people for exile, and all the prophets prepared the people for the coming of Christ. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, found in Matthew 25:1-13, we're told explicitly what God meant by preparation.

I've commented on it before, but there's a difference between planning and preparation. I'll add a new twist to anything I've said or written previously on the subject--planning assumes that we will be in control of events, and preparation assumes that we will NOT be in control. Given the context of this parable and when it was given (this section is commonly referred to as the Olivet Discourse, as it took place on the Mount of Olives on the Tuesday or Wednesday of Holy Week), Jesus was telling his disciples to always be on the lookout for his return. An interesting message, given that I'm not certain that they realized  that Christ was going away in the first place, but we can discuss that another time.

Those of you that know me know that I have an interest in eschatology, or the study of the End Times, but simply because I find them interesting, not because I can in any way determine when they will occur. Every effort I put into determining when the end will come is an effort that could have been more gainfully used by preparing myself and others for when that time comes. Our "oil" is our salvation through Christ, since when the "bridegroom" returns, it will be too late to get that oil. All of us have had our entire lives to store up that oil for Christ's return, and there won't be any excuse for those who weren't prepared.

As such, we must always be prepared. We need to stay strong in Christ, and more importantly, continually reach out to those around us to be sure they have the same assurance we have. We may not be able to share our "oil" when the time comes, but that certainly doesn't  have to prevent us from helping others obtain their own "oil" and be prepared.

Scott