Know the One who pours the oil.
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Matthew 25:1-13
A few months ago, the Holy Spirit showed me this parable in my prayer time. He shared that HE is the One who gives us the oil for our lamps. We can only be assured of having enough oil for that day if we seek Him now.
The precious Holy Spirit is the One who lives in us. He is the One who was left behind to be our Constant One, our Comforter, our Teacher.
He will teach us and guide us in all truth when we learn to hear Him.
How do we hear from Him? First we have to know a little about Him. He wants to be involved in everything we do. It is His desire to fill our lamps so full that there is overflow that goes on and on. He wants us to NEVER run out of oil. But He won’t do it without our permission.
We have to invite Him in.
Picture yourself as a houseguest at someone’s house – an acquaintance moreso than a friend. This is a person you barely know. Would you go in their house and make yourself so at home that you cook their food? Wear their clothes? Drive their vehicle? I doubt it. Like most people, we would ask before we did anything. We would not just assume that we have the run of the house.
The Holy Spirit within us is much like this. He will not insert Himself into our lives without permission. He wants to be close, intimate friends with us. But we need to make the first move.
Open the door and say “welcome, dear friend.”
Every day.
I heard a wonderful analogy that might help. Imagine the Holy Spirit is a dove that lands on your shoulder. You have to figure out how to go through your day without the dove flying away. How do you do this? You take each step with extra care. Each word you speak is weighed carefully. You become so in tune with the Dove on your shoulder that You think of Him first before you do anything.
This is what He wants. This is what we need. Don’t find yourself without any oil in your lamp? As we spend time in His presence – praising, worshipping, communing – He will pour the oil. This oil heals our hurts and our wounds. It gives life.
Start today.
When you first wake up, welcome Him into your day. Welcome Him into your routine, your decisions, your words, your steps.
When we invite Him in and give Him freedom within our house, we will start hearing Him clearly. My passion is to ignite a fire within others to want to hear Him clearly. Every day. He wants to give us the desires of our heart. Let your heart desire Him.
Stay in the Light and the Love always,
Eva
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