Spiritual Readiness!
Rev. Ronald H. Matthews
Matthew 25:1-13
11/07/99
What do you do when you are watching TV and an emergency news report flashes and beeps across the screen? If you are not asleep, stoned or really slow, you pay attention. You want to know what the alert is about. Depending upon the nature of the news, you will make a response of some sort. If it is the announcement of a major winter storm that is projected to hit your area within the next 12 hours; you will take steps to make sure you have ample supplies of food and other basic provisions. Most of us have some sort of backup method for staying warm if the power fails. If the alert is a "warning, warning, Will Robinson--tornado is heading straight for you", you would immediately grab your loved ones and head to shelter in a basement or an inner room of your house.
Scouts, public safety officers and the military are trained to be prepared or be ready for many eventualities. During basic training, soldiers are taught, among other things, to always secure their weapon and protective gear. You don't go anywhere without them. You sleep with them--they become a part of you. The importance of this training became apparent to me during Desert Storm. During the first few days of the war, we would be in the midst of our duties and suddenly an alarm would sound: "Scud alert! Scud alert! MOPP 4!" At that warning, you would automatically drop whatever you were doing and perform the ritual that had been honed into your brain. You would be amazed how fast even the slowest soldier can put on a protective mask and clothing when faced with chemical or biological attack. Readiness can be the key to physical survival in manner of life's circumstances! Spiritual readiness is the key to our ultimate survival and is the primary point of today's lesson
The parable of the ten bridesmaids as told by Jesus is a part of our basic training and instruction as Christians. He teaches us that we should be watchf ...
Rev. Ronald H. Matthews
Matthew 25:1-13
11/07/99
What do you do when you are watching TV and an emergency news report flashes and beeps across the screen? If you are not asleep, stoned or really slow, you pay attention. You want to know what the alert is about. Depending upon the nature of the news, you will make a response of some sort. If it is the announcement of a major winter storm that is projected to hit your area within the next 12 hours; you will take steps to make sure you have ample supplies of food and other basic provisions. Most of us have some sort of backup method for staying warm if the power fails. If the alert is a "warning, warning, Will Robinson--tornado is heading straight for you", you would immediately grab your loved ones and head to shelter in a basement or an inner room of your house.
Scouts, public safety officers and the military are trained to be prepared or be ready for many eventualities. During basic training, soldiers are taught, among other things, to always secure their weapon and protective gear. You don't go anywhere without them. You sleep with them--they become a part of you. The importance of this training became apparent to me during Desert Storm. During the first few days of the war, we would be in the midst of our duties and suddenly an alarm would sound: "Scud alert! Scud alert! MOPP 4!" At that warning, you would automatically drop whatever you were doing and perform the ritual that had been honed into your brain. You would be amazed how fast even the slowest soldier can put on a protective mask and clothing when faced with chemical or biological attack. Readiness can be the key to physical survival in manner of life's circumstances! Spiritual readiness is the key to our ultimate survival and is the primary point of today's lesson
The parable of the ten bridesmaids as told by Jesus is a part of our basic training and instruction as Christians. He teaches us that we should be watchf ...
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