Have Hope. Look, The Bridegroom is Coming!

Meditate.

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!'" So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Matthew 25:1-13  

Keep watch. Jesus tells us in this parable to be ready. We don’t know the hour or the day when He will return. What do you have to do to be ready? A bride readies her trousseau while her groom is preparing their new home. Her trousseau may have included her wedding gown, her veil, undergarments, bedding, tablecloths, linens, and household utensils that she would need. Spiritually can we find an analogy for that trousseau? What treasures are you gathering up? Jesus also gave us advice about what we value…our treasures…in His Sermon on the Mount.

Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21 

Treasures. Hopes. Dreams. Obviously, we won’t be storing up gold or dollars in the form of 401-ks in heaven. Remember that the streets will be paved with gold in heaven, so even if we could take gold with us, it wouldn’t be worth much. But what treasures will you send up to heaven? Prayers, praises and thanksgiving to the Lord. Our tears will be stored up, just as it is recorded in the Bible. God cares about the things we care about.

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8

Jesus told a parable about joy that will be expressed in heaven over salvation of one person.

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away! Luke 15:4-7

Joy is a treasure…one of the desires of our heart. We have the promise that God will give you your heart’s desires.

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:3-5

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

What is your heart’s desire?

Prayer ~ Lord God, I praise You and thank you that You have promised to give me my heart’s desire. May my desire bring You honor and glory. I look forward to Your return.

Verse of Salvation ~ Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." Isaiah 35:4 (Underlined for emphasis.)

© 2020 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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