Waiting for the Bridegroom

 I recently read a Christian romance novel in which one of the main characters was getting married.  In the wedding ceremony, with church lights dimmed low, the bride comes out of a side room holding a lamp to light her way.  She is looking for her groom.  After a moment or two of looking, she finally sees him walking down the isle towards her.

 After reading this, I thought to myself how romantic that was.  I even looked over to my husband and said, “If I ever get married again, I want a wedding like this.”  Of course, he looked at me with a strange look on his face, and with his relaxed manner of speaking, said, “Oh really?”  I hastily added, “I mean if ‘we’ ever decide to renew our vows, that is.”  We both had a chuckle and went back to our reading after I removed my foot from my mouth.

 But I still kept thinking about that book passage.  I kept thinking about the romance involved in that passage.  There is so much depth about this parable; so much meaning regarding the wise and foolish maidens.  Scores of sermons have been delivered on this topic I am sure.  But one thing remains, be watchful for the coming of the bridegroom.

 Jesus is that bridegroom.  Someday HE will return.  We need to keep vigilant, keep watch, stay on guard.  While everyday things need to be taken care of, like feeding the family, taking care of children, running errands, mowing the lawn, and so on, we still need to be watchful.  We need to keep our focus on the coming bridegroom.

 Let us not be like the foolish maidens who ran out of oil and had to leave and go buy more.  Let us be prepared with our oil so that we will never run out and we will be standing ready when Christ comes again.

Kimberly Lewis

May 2004