Fill 'er Up!

Matthew 25

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

 ¹ “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.   ⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
   ⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
   ⁹ “‘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.’
   ¹⁰ “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.
   ¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
   ¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
   ¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Early in my marriage, my husband and I owned a small sports car with a gas gauge that never worked.   This is when I learned how much my husband hates to fill up his gas tank and the hope that he harbors that there will be another station up ahead with cheaper gas.   I also learned how quickly I could bail out of my car seat while he bailed out of his, so we could push that car off through an intersection or to the side of the road.   My husband learned you're driving on more than gas fumes, when you have to leave a fuming wife in the car, as you walk with your gas can to the nearest station.   I wasn't a happy camper at all, especially if I had just pushed that car wearing a dress and heels.  A verse comes to mind.  

Psalm 90:2

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Lord, help me to wisely keep my lamp filled with oil, so that I'll be ready for your return, or the hour you call me home.   

"Give Me Oil In My Lamp" a song I learned in Sunday School, is sung with great delight by the children in this video.