Matthew 25:1-13 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 25:1-13 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 25"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Verse 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Verse 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; Verse 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. Verse 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. Verse 6But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Verse 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. Verse 8The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Verse 9But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' Verse 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Verse 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' Verse 12But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Verse 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Devotion
Don't you hate when your lamp runs out of oil right before a midnight wedding feast? We are so consistently prepared until, suddenly, we are not. And we rarely intend to arrive unprepared. When wise bridesmaids run off with their lamps ablaze, I wonder about those left behind. The foolish women return some time later with an abundance of oil, but the party has started without them.
Prayer
God of light, we are busy. We are so busy and we are in competition about being busy. There are countless reasons we arrive without oil and come before you unprepared. We fill our lamps with excuses and conflicts, but we ask you to fill them with wisdom and strength for the journey ahead. Amen.