Sunday, March 20, 2011
SCRIPTURE READING
Matt 25:1 The kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (NKJV)
Jesus was the first one to introduce the bridal paradigm to the Church. It had been introduced throughout the Old Testament toward Israel, but Jesus builds upon that as He teaches principles about the Kingdom of God. He referred to Himself as a Bridegroom in Matt 9:15. He compared the Kingdom of God to His Father arranging a marriage for Him in Matt 22:2. He described ministry as those encountering Him as a Bridegroom in Matt 25:1 and He will return in answer to the prayers of His Bride, the Church, crying out to Him (Rev 22:17). There are many paradigms or perspectives of the Kingdom of God in scripture such as agricultural, military or economic but the bridal paradigm is the most effective in transforming our hearts so that we are prepared in wholehearted love for His return. The parable of the ten virgins is best studied in the context of the Olivet Discourse (Matt 24-25) which is written to tell us about the end times. It teaches us to expect persecution and to be watchful, to be faithful, and to be equipped spiritually with vibrant faith, hope, and love for the end times.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. God has given us everything that we need to be prepared for the End Times. Spend some time thanking Him for His Word and how He wants to open our eyes to understand it as we spend time soaking in the Word and prayerfully reading it.
2. Ask the Lord to continue to use the bridal paradigm to transform your heart so that you will be prepared in wholehearted love for His return.
3. Spend some time praising Jesus for the hope, faith and love that we can have by connecting with Him through prayer and reading the Word.
