He Will Shut The Door
Friday, October 13
Matthew 25:5-10 (NLT)
When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.
Devoción
While reading the theme scripture above, one must wonder, "Why were half of the virgins unprepared?" Just like the other half, they knew the bridegroom was coming. Could it be that the five who were foolish had a careless attitude? Were their minds too consumed with the cares of life to be fully prepared? One might wonder, what was it that kept them from being ready for his coming?
If we read further, Matthew 25:11-12 tells us that the foolish virgins came back, and because the door was shut, they cried out, "Lord, Lord, open the door for us!" But He answered, "Truly I say to you, I do not know you."
This brings to mind all the people who cried out for Noah to open the door of the ark and let them in when the flood came, even though they had been warned to stop their evil behavior and turn to God for many years before the great flood. But it was too late because they didn't heed the warning, and God closed the door.
There will soon come another time when God will shut the door to those crying out to be let inside. In Luke 13:25-27, Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father." He said even though they will be pointing to the great things they did in his name, he will declare to them, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice evil."
We cannot live for God halfheartedly. He equates that with foolishness. We must stop with the careless attitude in our Christian walk during these end times. We must not let the busyness of life hinder our closeness with God. It's time we return to the love we first had for Him. We must turn fully to our Heavenly Father. Don't wait until He shuts the door before you desire to prioritize Him.
Oración de hoy
Querido Padre Celestial,
I give You praise for fighting my battles. I confess that I have allowed the cares of this life and my own selfish desires to keep me from knowing You intimately. I honestly desire a close relationship with You that keeps me in tune with Your will. I ask for Your wisdom, strength, and determination as I work to prioritize my relationship with You. I want to be able to say, just as the Apostle Paul did, that I give up other things and consider them as loss in order that I may gain the extraordinary worth of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). I love you, Lord. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Aplíquelo hoy mismo
C.S. Lewis once said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by satan.” The enemy is fighting to keep God’s people in sin or distraction so that they do not prioritize their relationship with God. Each of us must take responsibility to see that God wins that battle on our behalf. Be encouraged to take an honest look at your life and the distractions that keep you from knowing God personally. Determine to replace those things by investing your time in activities that will help you to grow in Christ. God is so pleased with your determination to put Him first.
Recursos:
- Let this message, "The Power of Distraction" embolden you to seek out the distractions that are hindering your time with your Heavenly Father, and to make needed changes.
- Read Luke 10:38-42 and be encouraged by Jesus’ words concerning distractions.