He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20 (NIV)
One of the most memorable games from my childhood days is the game of hide and seek. When the game started, someone was chosen to be ‘it’ A spot was chosen to be ‘base’. Whoever was ‘it’ would stand at ‘base’, close their eyes and count to a hundred. The other players ran and hid. When the person who was ‘it’ finished counting, he or she would say, “Ready or not, here I come,” and run to find everyone. I can remember playing the game and hearing ‘it’ say, “Ready or not, here I come,” and getting rattled because I hadn’t found the perfect hiding place and wasn’t ready.
Jesus is coming! Sceptics and scoffers deny that fact, but they can’t change the truth of it. Jesus Christ is coming again soon. He warns us to be ready for His coming. The countdown has begun and we need to realise that, ready or not, here He comes!
In Matthew 25 we can read the parable of the ten bridesmaids. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The wise ones were ready for the Bridegroom’s return. Suddenly, the ten bridesmaids hear a shout:
‘Look! Here is the bridegroom!’ Matthew 25:6 (NRSV)
The five wise bridesmaids have their lamps ready, but the five foolish bridesmaids don’t have any oil to light their lamps. The five foolish ask the wise to borrow some oil, but the wise bridesmaids refuse because there isn’t enough oil to share. The foolish ones are instructed to go and buy oil, and the bridegroom returns while they are gone. Jesus says:
“And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’” Matthew 25:10-12 (NRSV)
Jesus then says:
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:13 (NKJV)
Are you ready or not?