“I
want you all ready at the time I return” I told my son firmly. We were to
attend his cousin’s wine-carrying ceremony and we had looked forward to this
day. I had no intentions of being delayed by any of my children on my return
from a meeting. The would-be bride’s mother had requested me to play a role at
the opening part of the meeting and I wanted to be there. I said further to him
in the presence of his siblings “As soon as I leave bathe and get ready.” ”I
have some things to do first...” he said. “The best way to be sure you are
ready is to do so once I leave” were my parting words. All of them are my children, but I have once left my child behind during
school runs when he delayed unduly in the morning.
As
a child many times I heard the horn of my father’s car at the gate when he was
coming home. We were playing inside and had done none of his assignments. The
sound of the horn led to a frenzy of activity to give the impression we had
indeed obeyed him, but too late! His displeasure was evident as he asked “What
have you children been doing since I left?” We had procrastinated in obeying
him though we heard his parting instructions clearly and had the means to carry
out his instructions. And so as a father I warned my own children against that
procrastination: the delay in doing what you were instructed to do. This delay
often results in forgetfulness, in the needful being subsumed by other matters,
until suddenly the master is back, and attempts to do what should have been
done earlier meet with his rebuke and displeasure.
It
occurred to me this was like the parable of the ten virgins. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to
ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And
five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. They that were foolish took
their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels
with their lamps Mat
25:1-4(KJV).
As
I left that morning I did not know the exact time of my return from the
meeting. I couldn’t therefore give them an exact time. Watch
therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh Mat 24:42(KJV). Are you putting off getting ready for the Lord?
So how did my
children fare? On my return 3 of them met me at the entrance fully dressed for
the occasion. As I entered the house and climbed the stairs another ran down,
dressed and ready, to my embrace. But there was one who had been there at the
gate when I was leaving that was not dressed up when I came back. It turned out
she had actually dressed up with the others, but when I delayed (in their eyes)
she removed the dress and watched TV with the rest until my car stopped at the
gate."Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near; let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to
the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon.”Isa
55:6-7(ESV).
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