URC Daily Devotion Wednesday, 11 March 2026

St Matthew 25: 1 – 13

‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;  but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.”  Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.”  But 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.”  And 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.  Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.”  But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.”  Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Reflection

The bridesmaids were divided into two equally-sized groups: Team Wise and Team Foolish.  Team Wise probably had some members who had been Guides in their youth and knew all about the importance of being prepared. Instinctively, they would have taken everything that could possibly be needed for a mission like this, particularly oil for the lamps.  Team Foolish were not prepared and had failed to remember even basic things.  I have much sympathy for them as someone who frequently fails to remember things that are needed for a trip or activity. We might scoff at the stupidity of forgetting the fuel for the lamps but how many of us have gone somewhere, pulled out our mobile phone and discovered that it has run out of charge?  Unlike the equality given to the two groups by Jesus, I suspect that more of us are in Team Foolish than Team Wise. It’s not that we set out to be unprepared, it may be that we’re under time pressures, too busy, tired or even overcome with excitement and get distracted and forget. Things get in the way; “being prepared” takes skill and practice However, too much focussing on preparing can mean that the real task never gets done.

Jesus concludes his parable by referring to the uncertain timing of his second coming.  In the parable, he is encouraging alertness and vigilance as much as excessive preparation. The bridegroom is Jesus and the wedding feast represents the kingdom to which admission will be denied to those who are not ready. We each have our part to play in the preparation for the kingdom. We have to be alert both spiritually and physically to whatever Jesus wants us to do for him. We have to be diligent in our discipleship. We are the hands of Jesus on earth, the labourers in the fields; taking on whatever tasks have been set aside for us by him: prayerfully discerned and timely in execution.

Prayer

Loving God,
help us to be ever ready, fully charged, 
and prepared for whatever you want us to do.
Help us to recognise you in the world 
and see the people that you want us to help 
and situations where you want us to serve you.
Help us to work diligently, 
to do our bit in building your kingdom here on earth.
Amen