Oil

Jesus said, "...when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) 

When my husband and I moved from Ontario, Oregon, to Crescent City, California, it took a bite out of us financially as it always does when we move from one area to another. As my husband was stressing I said a quick prayer, "That's OK, GOD, I have faith enough for the both of us!" Then it hit me - I only have enough faith for me! I must attend to my own faith. I can encourage others toward faith in GOD. I can pray for them. Yet, I cannot have 'enough' faith for both them and me. Faith is an individual and personal thing - as personal as our intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Suddenly the parable of the ten virgins of the New Testament came to mind.

I had been asking Jesus to teach me about what the oil is - what the parable means. I have heard many times that the oil is the Holy Spirit. Only, I wasn't sold on the idea. I wanted Jesus to teach me, and He did in that very moment. I knew that the oil is FAITH. We must attend to our faith! Faith is the oil that keeps our lamps burning.

Will Jesus find faith on the earth when He comes? Are we tending to our faith in practice? Or are we letting our faith wane and chasing after the world? Are we relying on the world to meet all our needs? Are we depending on ourselves to fight our battles. Or do we take it ALL to the Lord in prayer - confidently! Is our faith producing fruit?

Let's tend to our faith in expectation of our ultimate meeting with Jesus Christ. Let us not be locked out of the Kingdom for being unprepared!