Life’s a journey!
Previously, we talked about knowing our destination and for us, Christians, the ultimate and final destination of where we are headed is God’s Kingdom (Heaven).
If you would like to know more about God’s Kingdom being our final destination, check my last post, Life’s a Journey.
A key thing to remember is that when we make God be our King, there are three benefits we receive:
- God fights all our battles;
- God guides us; and
- God provides us with all what we need on the journey.
There are other things that also come with what God does in our lives and these are:
- we become members in God’s Kingdom;
- we become members of each other; and
- we become signs of God’s Kingdom here on earth.
[bctt tweet=”Everything that God does in our lives comes with some responsibility from our part.”]
Based on Matthew 5: 1-13, Jesus is talking about us becoming the salt of the earth and the world of the world. The responsibility therefore is that in everything we are and do, people, around us, should glorify God, our Father in Heaven. Our priority should always be for people to give glory to God because of who we are and what we do, as individuals and as a Church.
What this then implies is [bctt tweet=”we, the Church, are the only means God is using to reveal His Kingdom here on earth!”]
Being instrumental for God making His Kingdom come here on earth, we have to be keep alert. Being alert means remaining faithful on journey.
In Matthew 25: 1-13, Jesus tells the story about how we should keep alert on our life journey. Two things He described to be very important, and which made a difference between the wise from the foolish virgins are: the lamp and the oil. It was not because of falling asleep for these women, which made them unfit to meet the groom. It was for the reason they did not have enough oil, which made them be described as foolish. Contextually, this story is part of the wedding procession that took place during Jesus’ days to which He is referring. But why the lamp and the oil?
First of all light is a product of lamp and oil. You cannot talk of light if you only have one of the two. Secondly, it was important to have light because the ceremony took place at night. In the evening it is better to have light in order to make sure one is on the right path.
Therefore lamp and oil together help us remain on the path where we should be, just as Psalm 119: 105 says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Based on Psalm 119, God’s Word then represents the lamp we all need. This is God’s written as well as revealed Word. God’s written Word is what we find in the Bible and God’s revealed Word is what God tells you when you read Scripture on your own.
As of oil, throughout the Bible, it symbolizes God’s Spirit. In other words, oil represents the Holy Spirit Who makes God’s Presence real and active in our daily living.
[bctt tweet=”God’s Word and God’s Presence help us stay alert and fulfill our destiny.”]
[bctt tweet=”God’s Word without God’s Presence is like having the form of God but void of God Himself!”]
In the story (Matthew 25), the women who had only the lamps were unable to meet out with the groom. They were with the others, but not ready to spend life with the groom. They did not have time to go and get oil from sellers because it was too late.
Just as Jesus said to the people, here is what He is saying also to you and I: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13).
2 Things to do on a daily basis:
- Dwell in God’s Word as often as you can through personal as well as group’s study; and
- Invite God into your life daily through prayer. Do it preferably in the morning before you do anything else.
