When You Think God is Delayed. . .
Yesterday in prayer, I felt as if God dropped a revelation deep within me, and I thought I would share today.
Matthew 25:1-13 says, "God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom did not show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. "In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!' "The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.' "They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.' "They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. "Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.' "He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.' "So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.”
It’s clear in this scripture as it says in verse 5 that the bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him to. Often times in your walk with God it will seem as if God doesn’t show up when you think He will or even that He should for that matter. I personally have been having similar thoughts over some issues in my life.
The disciples all thought that Jesus would return not long after he ascended into heaven. No one expected the earth to be here 2000 years later. You’ll find in serving God that God always has His own since of time. Let me just say before I go on that His timing is always perfect and while we may not understand it this side of eternity He does know what He is doing.
So how do the young women respond in this passage? All of them fall asleep. They get tired of waiting. So often, the same thing happens to us in the kingdom. We’re like “God I’m done with this waiting stuff.” and internally in our spirit we kind of fall asleep. We put off things that God has told us to do, because really like he’s coming in the next minute. We continue to take advantage of our life. However, according to the word we must live every day and moment as if it were out last. (Matthew 24:42-44)
What God showed me yesterday was the difference between the two groups was that the ones who were prepared were ready to go the distance. They had prepared and were willing to stick it out until they saw their king coming. Why was it that the five who weren’t prepared . . . I mean why didn’t they realize the bridegroom was delayed, immediately go back into town, and buy the oil they needed? Those five girls thought they had all the time in the world. When they realized they messed up they tried to scramble to get prepared but it was too late. They missed their breakthrough.
You have to be prepared in your walk that even if God told you to do something and it doesn’t happen right away you are ready to wait it out. You are ready to go the distance. You are ready to endure to the end. Too many people start their Christian walk. They get excited, and then when God doesn’t move the way they think He should or in the timing they think He should they get lackadaisical in their walk and relationship with God. You cannot let disappointments, delays and what seem to be failures to affect your relationship with God. You cannot merely choose to go to sleep out of frustration. Matthew 24:13 says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” I don’t want to face God one day and attempt to use the excuse, “I thought you were late and I got bored.” Somehow, I don’t think that’s a legitimate excuse.
We all face things in our lives that we don’t have the reasons for in our own understanding. But when it all boils down, God is good. He is faithful. What He says will come to pass! We have to be prepared that even if the waiting is longer than we expected we’re still going to endure. We are going to be determined to finish our race. We aren’t going to let disappointments cloud our choices. But we must be wise and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate our path. God has good plans for your life. But you have to trust Him. You have to trust Him even if you feel you’ve been waiting a really long time. You have to trust He sees the whole picture, and He knows what He is doing.
Matthew 25:1-13 says, "God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom did not show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. "In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!' "The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.' "They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.' "They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked. "Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.' "He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.' "So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.”
It’s clear in this scripture as it says in verse 5 that the bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him to. Often times in your walk with God it will seem as if God doesn’t show up when you think He will or even that He should for that matter. I personally have been having similar thoughts over some issues in my life.
The disciples all thought that Jesus would return not long after he ascended into heaven. No one expected the earth to be here 2000 years later. You’ll find in serving God that God always has His own since of time. Let me just say before I go on that His timing is always perfect and while we may not understand it this side of eternity He does know what He is doing.
So how do the young women respond in this passage? All of them fall asleep. They get tired of waiting. So often, the same thing happens to us in the kingdom. We’re like “God I’m done with this waiting stuff.” and internally in our spirit we kind of fall asleep. We put off things that God has told us to do, because really like he’s coming in the next minute. We continue to take advantage of our life. However, according to the word we must live every day and moment as if it were out last. (Matthew 24:42-44)
What God showed me yesterday was the difference between the two groups was that the ones who were prepared were ready to go the distance. They had prepared and were willing to stick it out until they saw their king coming. Why was it that the five who weren’t prepared . . . I mean why didn’t they realize the bridegroom was delayed, immediately go back into town, and buy the oil they needed? Those five girls thought they had all the time in the world. When they realized they messed up they tried to scramble to get prepared but it was too late. They missed their breakthrough.
You have to be prepared in your walk that even if God told you to do something and it doesn’t happen right away you are ready to wait it out. You are ready to go the distance. You are ready to endure to the end. Too many people start their Christian walk. They get excited, and then when God doesn’t move the way they think He should or in the timing they think He should they get lackadaisical in their walk and relationship with God. You cannot let disappointments, delays and what seem to be failures to affect your relationship with God. You cannot merely choose to go to sleep out of frustration. Matthew 24:13 says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” I don’t want to face God one day and attempt to use the excuse, “I thought you were late and I got bored.” Somehow, I don’t think that’s a legitimate excuse.
We all face things in our lives that we don’t have the reasons for in our own understanding. But when it all boils down, God is good. He is faithful. What He says will come to pass! We have to be prepared that even if the waiting is longer than we expected we’re still going to endure. We are going to be determined to finish our race. We aren’t going to let disappointments cloud our choices. But we must be wise and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate our path. God has good plans for your life. But you have to trust Him. You have to trust Him even if you feel you’ve been waiting a really long time. You have to trust He sees the whole picture, and He knows what He is doing.
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