Devotion
Are You Wise or Foolish?
Frances Taylor
Today's gospel concerns a group of bridesmaids waiting for the bridegroom to come and whether or not they will be prepared. Five are pretty sure that the bridegroom will show up when expected and so do the least they need to do and the other five decide that something may come up and want to be prepared just in case. What about ourselves? Whether you are sick or healthy today, you don't know what tomorrow brings.
I remember when my father was ill. He would enter the hospital, then somehow rally and be sent home. When this happens more than once, it is easy to be lulled into a sense of false security and believe that he would always rally. That kind of thinking can make it harder when the final day comes. My son rarely had a sick day in his life and yet was cut off while riding his motorcycle and was dead before he even had a chance to be afraid. It has always been my hope that both were wise and had lived their lives prepared to meet the bridegroom when he came. Old or young, healthy or sick, we all need to live as if each day were our last. We can't wait to turn our lives towards God, to be compassionate toward others, to pray, to forgive, to let people know that we care. We must be like the wise virgins who kept their lamps full because they did not know the hour in which they would be invited to join the celebration.
Prayer
Loving God, we know that you will come, but we do not know the day or the hour. May we live our lives prepared to meet you. Amen.
Night Prayer
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Inspiration
Sin will enslave us and become the master of our lives if allowed. Sin binds us in darkness, and we become submissive to our fears. Jesus is a light in the dark, and we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. Sin has no control over us! We have repented our sinful ways and surrendered our lives to the will of God. Serving Him replaces a life of misery with joy and peace.
Prayer
Dear God, we ask forgiveness for our transgressions. We surrender our lives to You and will serve You instead of our sinful desires. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Morning Prayer
Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
Inspiration
We can thank God that this plea has already been answered and fulfilled. God restored us and saved us through His son, Jesus Christ, and now we can stand confident in righteousness and holiness. We can call God our Father, and we can live this life with joy, because of what Christ did for us when He came to this earth. We no longer have to beg God to restore us because we have already been restored.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for answering my pleas even before I needed to cry out. Thank you for taking care of the greatest thing my life needed – salvation. I am grateful, Lord, for the total restoration in my life. It is a privilege that I do not take for granted, Father. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
