I remember singing a song from years ago when I went to Sunday school. It was a fun upbeat song. Did I ever think about the words which I was singing? Did I know that they are scriptural? No, not until now. This morning, I was reading the gospel of Matthew as a continuation in my bible devotions. "The Parable of the Ten Virgins " As I read the parable, that song of old, popped back into my head. After all these years, I had to look up the words again. Here they are below.
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning 'til the break of day
(Chorus)
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of Kings
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Give me joy in my heart, I pray
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Keep me praising 'til the break of day
Chorus
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting
Give me peace in my heart, I pray
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting
Keep me resting 'til the break of day
Chorus
Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Give me love in my heart, I pray
Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Keep me serving 'til the break of day
There are at least five very important messages in this song which could help us keep that oil in the lamp burning. Here is what I came up with:
1. The first message; is praying to God for Him to keep your lamp burning. The Holy Spirit fills your lamp. By praying, we are communicating with God. We need a relationship with God the Father which can only be found through the Son Christ Jesus. The song asks Jesus, to keep us burning until the break of day. (Until He returns) The message is taken from this parable which Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25. They are words written in red to stand out with great importance because Jesus is giving us a very important message through His words. (Jesus speaks of ten virgins. Five were wise and five were foolish. The wise took jars of oil with them. The foolish ran their lamps dry because they thought they had all the time in to world to run around, while wasting their oil away. The delay in the bridegroom coming made them think that the bridegroom (Jesus) would not return yet. When He returned, the five foolish ones were desperately trying to scrounge around and borrow oil so they could then fill their lamps. Sadly, it was too late. The Bridegroom took the wise virgins with him to the wedding banquet (to the new Kingdom with the Lord) because their lamps were full of oil The foolish ones were denied entrance, even though they pleaded to be let in. Jesus finishes the parable by saying "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
On a side note, there is another song from my childhood I remembered. That song was inspired from Psalm 120:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." That song is another prayer. The bible says John 8:12 "Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life." When we receive him as Saviour, He becomes that light in us. We are to be His light in the darkness.
2. The second message in the song is praying for the joy of the Lord. The bible says that the Joy of the Lord is our strength.
3. The third message in the song is praying for peace. The peace that passes all understanding.
4. The forth message in the song is praying, for love in my heart to keep on serving the Lord)
5. The fifth message in the song is praising God (Hosanna) in the highest (giving God that place reserved for only Him the King of Kings (Christ Jesus).
When I meditated on this parable, again, I had to ask myself, "Am I like the foolish virgin or am I being like the wise virgin? Is my lamp full of oil and do I have my jars overflowing?
1. Do I pray to God everyday and have a relationship with Christ? (A relationship much like the kind you would have with your bridegroom to be?
2. Do I have the joy of the Lord, His strength? or Do I go about my daily business doing what I want to do, in my own weakness?
3. Do I have the peace of God? or do I go around burdened by the cares of this world rather than rejoicing in all that the Lord has given and offers to me? Do I fill my lamp with worldly treasures: (things like money or the pursuit of it, worldly pleasures like drugs, alcohol, worldly possessions, fame, fortune) rather than fill my lamp with the oil of joy, oil of peace, oil of love and service?
4. Do I live for Christ, by seeking to know Him, serve Him, follow Him and live a life for Him? or Do I live for myself? Choosing (disobedience, deception, dishonest gain, delusion, denial, doubt) which all lead to death and deplete the oil from lamp?
God through His Grace, compassion, His mercy and His love, gave each one of us a lamp. God has given us plenty of oil. Because He loves us, He desires to fill our lamps to over flowing. He can't do that unless we lift up our lamps to Him and ask Him to pour in. We must be wise and knowledgeable in the way we use our gifts and talents. Are we serving God or serving ourselves (our own selfish ambitions?)
Perhaps this simple little song is a good start?
Oh Lord, Jesus,
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning 'til the break of day
Jesus said,
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
Are you ready for the wedding banquet? Have you prepared yourself? If you would like to read Matthew Chapter 25 click the link to bible gateway just below.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:1-13&version=AMP
