“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks."
These verses make me excited to read and study Gods word. "Be dressed for service" we can't hope that what we are doing has us dressed for service, we can know because God has given us the clothes to wear, we just need to continually get up and put them on. We don't have to wonder what outfit looks best He has set the armor out for us without any confusion. The world entices us to wear something else that makes us fit into the world but we already know in our hearts because of the Holy Spirit in us showing us what to put on.
Look what verse 37 says; "The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!" Jesus will seat us and serve us when we are dressed ready to answer the door. Our readiness shows our love for Him and our love for Him shows in how we use what gifts He has given us for other to see. He goes on to tell us in verse 38, "He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready." Because He doesn't know the time of His return, only the Father does, how much more joyous is it when we are living a way that pleases and glorifies Him. It says He will reward everyone who is ready. If that doesn't motivate you I can't imagine what would. People get so caught up in, Jesus paid it all and I don't have to do anything but believe. I say that is a dangerous way to think. Jesus did pay it all and that love He showed should motivate us to do as He did, not sit back and not do anything. Salvation is a free gift but Jesus gave us the proper clothes for a reason. Not to earn anything but to shine and be like Him, the one that came to serve others and show them what to do. Yes I say show them what TO DO, that means we live out our salvation so others might see Christ in us.
This topic of lazy love or I don't need to do anything always gets me down because if somebody did something so amazing, lets just say laid their life down for ours, wouldn't we desire to show them how grateful we are. This always reminds me of the story if the 10 bridesmaids, in Matthew chapter 25 verses 1-12 which says; “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 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. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ Lets be ready and be dressed for service so we get seated and fed by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we hear well done good and faithful servant, not believe me I never knew you. Don't think of it as earning anything but think of it as our love making us live out our lives for Him. Amen