đź“– Matthew 25:13 (KJV)

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

The Midnight Cry

Picture yourself in the stillness of night, lamp in hand, shadows stretching all around. The flame inside your lantern trembles, nearly out. Suddenly, a cry shatters the silence: “The Bridegroom is here! Come out to meet Him!”

This is the scene Jesus painted in the parable of the ten virgins. Ten women waiting, ten lamps flickering, ten hearts stirred awake at midnight. Yet only half were ready. The others, unprepared, found themselves shut out from the joy they longed for.

The story is more than history. It is a mirror. It is a trumpet blast meant to rouse every soul from slumber. The question presses in on us: Are we truly awake? Or are we resting on a memory of faith that once burned bright but has since grown dim?

Readiness Is Not a Moment, but a Lifestyle

The parable does not suggest that being ready is a one-time event. Readiness is a daily decision, a posture of the heart. It is walking with God in steady devotion, keeping close to His presence, and living as if Christ could return at any moment.

Spiritual fitness is not something that can be borrowed in an emergency. Oil cannot be transferred at the last second. Faith, intimacy with God, and a life shaped by His Holy Spirit cannot be borrowed or rushed. They must be cultivated, drop by drop, day by day.

When the Flame Begins to Fade

How do we know when our lamp is growing weak? It often shows in subtle ways:

  • Passion for God’s Word fades into mere habit.
  • Prayer feels optional, squeezed out by noise and busyness.
  • Love for others cools, replaced by apathy or distraction.
  • Faith is reduced to outward forms, while the inward fire dwindles.

⚠️ The foolish virgins carried lamps, but they carried no extra oil.

When the moment of truth arrived, their light sputtered and failed. The tragedy was not that they owned no lamp, but that they failed to keep it supplied.

What Does the Oil Represent?

The oil speaks of what fuels the life of a believer. It simply means spiritual readiness and the active presence of the Holy Spirit, filling and empowering us. It is obedience, love, and devotion that flows out of a heart surrendered to God. It is the inner reality that sustains the outward witness.

Without oil, the lamp is nothing but a shell. Without God’s Spirit, religion is just empty ritual. Without a living connection to Christ, faith is little more than words. The oil represents the hidden life that keeps the visible flame alive.

The Call to Watchfulness

This parable is not simply descriptive, it is a warning and an invitation. It confronts us with piercing questions:

  • Is my intimacy with God fresh, or am I living on the residue of yesterday’s devotion?
  • Is the light of my witness shining brightly, or is it beginning to flicker?
  • Am I prepared for Christ’s return, or am I assuming I’ll have time to get ready later?

The call to readiness is not about fear, but about love. Christ desires a bride who is awake, alert, and longing for Him. Watchfulness is not performance; it is the overflow of a heart that treasures the Bridegroom above all else.

The Hope of a Burning Lamp

The good news is that readiness is possible. The wise virgins prove it. Their lamps did not fail, because their oil was supplied. Their vigilance was not wasted, for when the cry came, they rose with joy to meet the Bridegroom.

So it can be with us. We are not left to our own strength. The Spirit of God is given to keep our flame alive. The love of Christ is our fuel. The Word of God is our anchor. And the promise of His return is our steady hope.

A Wake-Up Call for You

Perhaps this is your midnight cry. Perhaps God is shaking you awake in this very moment. Ask yourself:

  • Is my lamp still burning?
  • Am I distracted by the world while neglecting the oil of God’s presence?
  • What practices do I need to renew so that my faith is alive and ready?

This is not about guilt, but grace. God’s mercy invites you now to return, to refill, to reignite. Let this be the moment of turning, a fresh season of prayer, Scripture, worship, and holy devotion.

Keeping the Flame Alive

Let the parable move you from complacency to commitment:

  • Pray daily for fresh oil. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill and renew you.
  • Feed on the Word. Let Scripture be more than routine, let it be nourishment.
  • Live in love. Serve, forgive, encourage. Oil is wasted if the lamp does not shine.
  • Stay alert. Resist the pull of spiritual sleepiness. Keep your eyes lifted to the Bridegroom.

The night may be long, but the Bridegroom is coming. The feast is near.

The Final Question

One question remains, the question no one can avoid: When the cry goes out, will your lamp be lit?

The door will open, and the Bridegroom will receive His own. Some will enter with lamps blazing, welcomed into joy. Others will stand outside, pleading for a second chance that never comes.

Friend, do not wait. Do not assume tomorrow. The time to be ready is now. Fill your lamp. Tend your flame. Live awake.

Wake up.
Keep your lamp burning.
Keep your oil full.
The Bridegroom is near.