Keep That Torch Lit

I was chatting with my mom yesterday and she mentioned that due to the terrible weather just north of us, there were people stuck at Cottage Grove on the freeway for 17 hours! Can you imagine? I hardly.

How many times have I headed up I-5 fully intending to get to my destination at the time I planned on arriving? Many, and I always do. (Well, there was that one Thanksgiving, I believe it was 1999, it took us over 3 hours to get from Albany to Portland; it’s typically just over an hour drive. There was bumper to bumper traffic going about 5 miles an hour. As I recall it was the first time in my life I had come to a complete stop on the freeway.) Anyway…

I confess, that if that happened to me, I would be ill prepared. I just this winter started carrying 2 blankets in my Jeep, but that was mostly for if I see someone needing a blanket, but I would have a small bottle of water at most and after a few hours, no gas and no food. I would not be prepared.

Mom went on to say that after officials cleared the freeway of the numerous wrecks, people in the ditch, ice etc., it took three hours just to get traffic moving again. Why would it take that long? Not for reasons you might suspect.

Police had to get on the freeway and start knocking on car doors waking people that had fallen asleep. Even truckers were parked in the middle of the freeway, sound asleep.

There is story in the Bible often referred to as the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It is found in Matthew 25:1-13.

In this parable, ten virgins are waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom, and they all have lamps. Five of them are ‘wise’ and bring extra oil for their lamps, while the other five are ‘foolish’ and do not bring enough oil.

As they wait, the bridegroom is delayed, and all ten of the young women fall asleep. When the bridegroom finally arrives, the wise virgins are ready with enough oil to light their lamps, but the foolish ones run out of oil and have to leaven and to buy more oil. By the time they return, the door is shut, and they are not allowed to enter the wedding feast.

This parable is a lesson in being prepared and watchful for the soon return of Jesus.

The wise virgins symbolize those who are prepared and ready. The foolish virgins represent those who are unprepared and miss out on the opportunity to spend eternity with the Bridegroom.

As I think about unexpected situations, like being stuck in traffic for hours, I’m reminded to be more ready; whether it's having enough oil for my lamp; aka faith, knowledge, and trust, or being equipped with necessities like blankets, food, and water for a long wait on the freeway. I want to be fully prepared like half of those bridesmaids were.

My friend Pastor Sean was explaining that during that time, it was a customary practice for bridesmaids or virgins to have lamps as part of night-time wedding festivities. The lamps were used to light the road as the wedding procession moved from the bride's house to the bridegroom's house.

The role of these virgins was to welcome the bridegroom and accompanying the bride to the wedding feast. Their main responsibility was to be ready and prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom.

The lamps and the need for extra oil in the story serve as reminder to us the importance of being prepared for our Bridegrooms soon return. It tells us to be watchful for this much anticipated event! To look forward to that event with readiness and vigilance.

"Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

“And the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God.'" Revelation 19:7-9 ESV

By the way, the foot note in my bible for ‘lamp’ is translated ‘torch’. These were not small little lamps on a handle that swung next to their side. No, these cast much light. Let’s resolve to be a torch in our community, in our neighborhood, in our family. Keep an abundance of extra oil and keep your eyes ever looking up.

"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28 NKJV

by Jeanette Stark – Thursday, January 18, 2024