Saturday 15 August 2015

While waiting for the Bridegroom...

By Leo Sekoere


Jesus is an awesome storyteller! I enjoy reading his parables. One of my favourite parables is found in Matthew chapter 25 and is titled “The parable of the Ten Virgins”. Kindly grab your bible, let us explore it together.

Here we read about ten virgins who waited a very long time for The Bridegroom to take them to the wedding banquet. They were uncertain of the time of His arrival let alone the date but it was something they looked forward to. They all did what they thought was best to prepare for his coming, nevertheless when the Bridegroom came only five virgins were taken to the banquet. I would give myself to bitter heart piercing squeals for all eternity if this happened to me. I mean, they had lived their whole lives preparing for that moment and before they knew it, it was unceremoniously over! What made the chosen five virgins eligible to go to the banquet? I tell you the truth IT WAS WISDOM! The only notable distinction between the two groups of virgins was WISDOM.

I’m kinda avoiding the drudgery of citation but If you look up the definition of wisdom, the following will come up:

*Knowledge of what is true or right and just judgement as to action

*Insight

*Discernment: Acuteness of judgement and understanding.

The chosen virgins must’ve had Knowlegde of what is true/right and just judgement as to action because in verse 9 they were able to advice the foolish virgins about their situation.

They also displayed insight and Discernment. In verse 13, Jesus tells us that no one knows the day or the hour. Even though the virgins had the qualities mentioned above they couldn’t have possibly known the time of the Bridegrooms arrival. BUT watch what happens in verse 9-10. They are able to know that if they leave their post they might miss what they are waiting for. It is because of insight that they were able to discern the season. Wisdom within them understood that the Bridegroom was near.

Friends, that is truly how the Kingdom of God is. We are all “virgins” keeping ourselves clean and preserving ourselves in preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ BUT there’s something that needs to serve as a distinguishing factor. We need to be wise while waiting for our Bridegroom. The 10 virgins all had access to oil but wisdom helped the chosen five to know how to make the oil work for them. We have been given the word of God but without wisdom we cannot claim any of God’s promises. Wisdom is the most prized possession one can have.

1 Kings 3:9-10 tells us that God was very pleased when King Solomon asked for wisdom instead of wealth and earthly blessings. The same King Solomon ended up writing Proverbs that help us understand the worth of wisdom.I encourage you at your own time to read the book of Proverbs. You will see that the kind of wisdom I’m referring to is not “worldly” wisdom but the wisdom of God otherwise known as The Holy Spirit. (see Proverbs 3:19 also read the whole of Proverbs 8 with emphasis of verses 22-31 after reading this go to Genesis 1:2 )

I could go on and on quoting scriptures to support the theory above but in 1Corinthians 2:6-16 it’s all summed up quite beautifully. It doesn’t get more comprehensible than that really! Check it out:

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[b] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[c]

But we have the mind of Christ.(NIV)

SO God was saving this wisdom so that those who seek for it will find it and reap the benefits of possessing it.  Verse 7 says that it is all for OUR GLORY-hmm that’s why King Solomon was so famous! This kind of wisdom is not understood by the carnal mind, it’s a spiritual thing (verse 8-14). When one attains this Wisdom of God The Holy Spirit gets into our minds and gives us knowledge and understanding that helps us to make judgments about all things! Wow saints, verse 16 says we then operate with the mind of God. Our Minds become one with God! Lord Jesus we thank you so much! What an honour.

I want to walk all day-everyday with God’s Wisdom leading me! Why wouldn’t I choose it? I would gladly give up anything that holds me back from attaining this wisdom. I have a strong feeling, as I’m writing, that someone is tired of making wrong uninformed decisions. You’re tired of walking in your own light because it is dim. My friend, your wisdom can only take you as far as all humans have gone but the Wisdom of God can take you into the Kingdom of God. If you’re feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, make this short prayer with me:

Holy God! Your ways are higher, your thoughts are higher. I cannot do anything without your Wisdom for I fall short. Father, I am ready to make an exchange! Your Wisdom-for my wisdom. I surrender every avenue of my thinking, my speech and my actions. Forgive my sins and wash me with your blood-Let me be like you Daddy. Give me the wisdom that you destined for my glory Lord Jesus. Holy Spirit I avail myself to you. Your word in Proverbs 2:4-5 says if I earnestly seek after insight I will understand the fear of the Lord and get knowledge from him. Help me Holy Spirit! Make my heart thirst after you. Replace every other carnal desire I had, with the desire to know you more! In Jesus Name-AMEN!

I’m so proud of you for taking that decision Child of God. I’m sure in my spirit that more of you will be WISE while waiting for the Bridegroom!

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