The 10 Virgins

In chapel the other day someone read the parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25). It's about 10 young women (probably barely in their teens) who are waiting for their groom. 5 of these women bring oil for their lamps so they will stay lit longer while the other 5 don't-they only have enough oil to last them maybe a couple hours. Eventually, all 10 of these beautiful, untouched women fall asleep. The town crier is the first to see the groom coming from a little way off (around midnight) and he yells the news to everyone. The women wake up and the 5 who didn't bring extra oil see their lights going out. They frantically ask the 5 prepared women to let them have some of their oil. Instead of giving them half of their oil and having everyone's lights go out, they tell the others to go into town and buy some more oil. They do but by the time they get back, the groom has arrived and is inside with the 5 prepared women. The unprepared women knock and when the groom opens the door, he simply says that he doesn't know them.

I literally lost my breath as he read that part and the full meaning was revealed. The women who waited until the groom was almost there before getting prepared were only denied access to that marriage, but people who wait to accept Jesus until the last minute may be too late for eternity with Him. He will deny knowing them in front of God and they will not be allowed to enter Heaven. That is absolutely the most terrifying thing I've ever heard and it really stood out to me when that parable was read.

Another thing that stuck out was that all 10 women were untouched, beautiful virgins. They all had perfect records but it didn't matter for the 5 that were unprepared. It isn't how you have lived your life that allows you to enter Heaven, it is whether or not you are prepared when the time actually comes. Also, even though it might be late and the "groom" doesn't seem to be coming until the next day, it's not worth it to find yourself unprepared when it turns out that He is coming and you're not ready.

The guy who read the parable went on to talk about a conversation he had with a friend about that parable. When the friend asked him who he would want to be, his reply was one of the 5 women who were prepared. His friend's answer was another eye opener; he said that he would want to be the town crier.

Imagine if you were so incredibly close to God that you were the very first person of the town/city/world to see Him coming.