Matthew 25:1-2,10-13 – Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. … And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us." But he answered, "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you." Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (ESV)

It was late, dark, and cold. As I arrived at the parked car, I opened the door and sat down. I was tired and looking forward to getting home to bath-time for the children and some warmed-up dinner.

I put the key into the ignition — well, I tried — no, it was not going in. Ah well, I thought, it's dark, and I am tired; try again. Nope; I pushed the key hard in, and still this was not happening. Had I got into the wrong car? No, because the radio key is unique to this vehicle, and my personal effects were there. All of a sudden, my heart was pumping and my thoughts were racing, running side-by-side to be the fastest.

So I prayed, O God, help, please!

Having prayed, I cautioned myself to call home to say I would be late, then evaluate the situation and see if I could sort out the problem.

So, why could I not get the key into the keyhole? A piece of plastic blocked the key's ingress. Praise God, I was prepared: I had a torch by me, and a penknife to investigate, and tired as I was, the adrenalin was now in full swing. Some twenty minutes later, I managed to fix the problem and get the key in, by the grace of God, and with a heartfelt prayer of gratitude, I was on my way home.

We live every day, or week, expecting to continue for years, expecting our things and our bodies to do as they have done yesterday. Sadly, this is not always the case, whether young or old. Like the wise virgins, we need to be prepared.

So, when we find ourselves brought up short, let us hope that we have prepared for what comes next. Without warning, life can change in a blink of an eye, and sometimes, it is too late to change our good intentions into action.

For those of us with Jesus as our Saviour, it is good to know that no matter what may befall us, even the return of Jesus itself, we have the right of entry into His presence!

Prayer: Lord, in Your presence is fullness of joy. Unlike the foolish virgins, may we all gain access to Your throne through becoming Your disciples. By Your Holy Spirit, prepare our hearts and minds. Show us where we may need to re-organize our walk with You, so that we are always ready for You to show us the way home. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Rod Marshall <roderickhenrymarshall@gmail.com>
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
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