Christmas decorating is a big deal at our place. Barb goes all out with lots of beautiful stuff. Both inside the house and outside is like an artist’s canvas on which she carefully paints the picture. It has to look good, balanced, and just “feel” right. An early start this year has enabled her to decorate both front and back yards, which can be enjoyed with a slow drive in front of the house at night. At one point it was determined that the east end of the house was a dark spot and needed some light. She let me know an outside receptacle on that end of the house would serve well. I looked into it. There was a receptacle on the inside of the house just on the other side of the wall where it would need to be located. I had some questions about how the wiring would be done so I asked a son-in-law who knew about house wiring. He diagramed it out for me how to do it. I lit into the project. Before the day was over, an outside receptacle was providing power to light up a beautiful multicolored wreath, providing light for that end of the house.
Jesus told a little story of ten maidens that were going to meet the bridegroom according to the custom of that society. The five “foolish” maidens took no oil with their lamps and the five “wise” maidens took oil in their vessels with their lamps. They all slept. A cry was made to go meet the bridegroom. They all woke up. The foolish maidens didn’t have enough oil to lighten their way. They tried to borrow some from the wise maidens. The wise maidens told them to go get their own oil. While the foolish maidens were gone to get oil, the bridegroom came. The foolish maidens, who were not ready, were left out. The wise maidens went with the bridegroom. Jesus told us to be ready at all times. Just because we have some oil in our lamp that will burn for a while, does not mean we are ready for what is coming. We are to have oil in our lamp, and, oil in our vessels that will supply the lamp when it starts to run low. I had electricity available in the house that could lighten up that end of our house. It was not until I set a box on the outside and made the proper connections that I had a supply of power to burn the lights outside. We connect with the power of God by new birth with baptism in water, and by baptism of the Spirit with enlightening fire for supernatural power and service. Wouldn’t you agree it is foolish to go without this power that is available and risk not being ready for what lies ahead and the soon coming King. Wisdom chooses to get ready by getting all God has for us here and now. Matthew 25.