What's Stopping You?

Bride And Groom (Photo credit: James Marvin Phelps)

Have you been hearing the gospel since you were a child, but you still haven't given your heart to the Lord? Maybe you come from a Christian home and attend church regularly, but you don't really believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Or maybe you believe some of the gospel, but not all of it.

The Bible  tells the story of the ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom. These virgins, or bridesmaids, had a duty to perform. They were to go to the bride's house on the wedding night with burning lamps or torches in their hands to wait for the bridegroom. When he drew near, they would meet him and escort him to the bride's house. But as it turned out, five girls took oil in their lamps, but five didn't.

The bridegroom was a long time in coming and their lamps began to go out. Afraid they would have no light by the time the bridegroom appeared, they asked the others to give them some of their oil, but they refused. The five - I'll call them unprepared girls - set off to the store to buy oil, but guess what? The bridegroom came while they were gone. When they returned, they found the door shut. Read Matthew 25: 1 - 12

Sad, isn't it? These girls were part of the wedding party, but they were not ready to meet the bridegroom, who represents Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom who will one day return to claim His bride. Are you ready? Or are you in the church, but your heart does not really belong to the Lord? It may seem that our Bridegroom is tarrying, but make no mistake, He will come, according to the Bible "like a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5: 2). So, get your lamp ready now. Don't let that door shut in your face. You don't want to hear Him say, "I don't know you." Go to Him now and make it right while there is still time.

Heavenly Father, you know our hearts. Help us to follow your teachings and keep our lamps burning brightly so that when Your Son Jesus Christ returns, we'll hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Related articles

• At Midnight, the Bridegroom comes
• Parable of the Ten Virgins
• Sin Series: Keeping Our Lamps Full

5 Things To Look For In Mr. Right

 

Last week, we focused on qualities that a man would look for in a woman, and we looked at Ruth, a woman who got her man by exemplifying those qualities. Today, in keeping with the theme of love for this month, I want to look at qualities a woman would look for in a man. 

The Bible highlights many mighty men of God who were good husbands and fathers, but nowhere do we get a love story as intense or as fraught with difficulties as the one between Jacob and Rachel. And for that reason I chose Jacob. Yes, I know, his very name means 'trickster', but as we read in the book of Genesis, Jacob proved to be not just a good husband but a man who walked with God.

1.  A man of God. Jacob leaves home as his mother advised him, fearing that his brother Esau would kill him for stealing his birthright. On the first night of his journey, God appears to Jacob in a dream and promises to bless him and his seed. Jacob wakes up the next morning and consecrates that place to God. Later on, we'll see God's guidance and blessings following Jacob throughout his life.

2. A loving man. The next thing he does is kiss Rachel. I don't think this was a romantic kiss. The men of the town had told him that she is the daughter of his uncle, Laban, whom he's come looking for. The Bible says, "And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.  And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son:" (Genesis 29 : 11 - 12). It could be that Jacob is overcome with emotion at finding his cousin.

3. A hard-working man. Women love a man who is responsible and hard-working. Jacob certainly proves that when he says to Laban, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter" ( v 18). The Bible goes on to say, "And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her" (v 20). When a man truly loves a woman nothing is too much for him to do for her. Jacob is not only hard-working, he is shrewd. When Laban tries to rob him of his wages, Jacob manipulates the livestock, causing him to own more than Laban and increase in wealth.

4. A faithful man. Jacob is faithful to Rachel even though he has children by three other women. This has to be looked at in the cultural norms of the time. It was common for a barren woman to give her maid to her husband in order to have children. Laban tricks Jacob by giving him Leah, his older daughter, instead of Rachel, on his wedding night. This starts a long, agonizing chain of events which Jacob seems unable to break out of.  

5. A committed man.  Eventually Jacob takes his wives and children and leaves Laban's home for good. However, he remains committed to Rachel and Joseph, the son she bore him. When he hears that his brother Esau is coming to meet him, Jacob thinks Esau is about to wreak vengeance on him for stealing his birthright. As Esau and his entourage draw near, Jacob puts Rachel and Joseph at the back of the other wives to spare them from being hurt. 

Ladies, your Mr. Right may not possess all the above qualities, but he should at least demonstrate the first and the last. Without those two, your relationship may be on rocky ground. If you are looking for Mr. Right, ask God to lead you to him.