Jesus, the consummate storyteller, told a compelling story 2,000 years ago that is just as fresh and alive today as the moment He spoke it. It talks about 10 girlfriends. They all had so much in common. They dressed alike, talked alike, walked alike, carried the same Bible. It’d be hard to tell them apart in a crowd. Their smiles were infectious, their fervor unflagging. Five of them however lacked good judgment and insight. Tagging on the shirttails of the other five, they relied them to nibble at spiritual food, experience the latest goosebumps, or paying high dollar for twisted prophecies in a futile attempt to keep their lamps full of oil. They had their lamps properly filled at one point, but their busy existence now pushed them to the brink of apathy reducing their vessels into smoldering wisps. 
As time passed and the day grew late all grew sleepy. They dozed. The light of their flickering lamps danced in the evening night to music that only the heavenly guard standing silently by could hear. Suddenly, there was a startling loud cry that sliced through the night,"Get up! Get up! He's coming!! The groom is coming!" In the hustle and bustle of becoming awake, smoothing out dresses and straightening hair, five girlfriends noticed their lamps had nearly run out of oil. Didn’t even think about bringing some extra oil. They asked the five with-it girlfriends if they might borrow a little bit so they could light their lanterns again.
"Sorry, but if I give you some I won't have enough for myself. You really need to go get your own. You had the opportunity. Can't live off my light. You need to find it for yourself. If you think you can buy your way to God, go to the ones who sell it." The five freeloaders trotted off to the religious merchants who enchant with their monthly online trinkets, false prophecies, and witchcraft promises. The truth hurts sometimes. But the cutting can be healing if allowed to extract the cancerous evil growth.
After they left, you know what happened, don’t you? Yep. The groom came. With great joy He encircled His five lovers into His arms and personally led them into large wedding party (by invitation only!) and shut the door. (Man, I want to go to that party!)
The five shopaholics now returned to the door of the party. Loaded down with large purses balancing five smoldering lamps, ten burgenong shopping mall bags, uncreased Bibles, and large gallons of old tainted oil, they lifted their arms to knock. Their voices were raised in a discordant chorus, "Lord, Lord, open up! We're here now. Let us in! Haallloooo!"
Some moments passed and then the Lord opened the speak-easy peep opening on the massive wooden door. “Yes?”
“Oh, Lord, there you are. Hi. It’s us. Let us in, will ya? We're here. We're ready now. Sorry we’re late. We were shopping and didn’t realize the time."
His paused silence punctuated the air with finality. "Who are you? I don't know you."
With harumphs they whined, “Well, that’s a fine how do you do. We’ve been to all the conferences, every church party, participated in running “revival,” taken care of bratty kids in the nursery, handed out offering plates in every prayer meeting. Man, we even gave prophesies on the platform in Your Name. And we have been running all over town trying to get some oil so we could see where are going. We have trudged all this way and now the shut and you won’t remember us? We’re the girlfriends in your house. Surely you remember us now. We’re the ones that always sit on the right-hand side in the fifth row from the back. Remember now?”
* * * * *
You know where this is going, don’t you? It’s an old story and yet as timeless as a pair of shoes. You can dress the same, look the same, go to the same meetings, sing the same songs, even carry the same Bible -- but if you have never had a lover relationship with Jesus ... well, the door is definitely shut. Just that simple. No ifs, ands or buts about it. The only way to heaven is through Jesus, not through nature or trees or mystic energies or tarot cards or alcohol or drugs or the nearest Indian casino. It’s Jesus. He only is the door.
It’s not a church, a denomination or how many good deeds you can do. It’s not even because you’re a “good person” or a mighty philanthropist. The Bible says “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Cor. 13:3). Wow. Nothing. (Selah: which loosely translated means to pause and chew on that for awhile.) Most of the time these beautiful “love verses” of Cor. 13 has been used to define how we should love one another. But the love and reverential fear of God is the greatest of all. Out of that flows the meaning of life, the ability to live and love better, higher, stronger and with more excellence than ever before. It generates meaningful existence, implants courageous feats, imbues wisdom to execute equity and righteousness in all life’s dealings. It turns things that are skewed and upside down into right perspective, a clearing of the mind and heart.
Sounds noble and beyond reach? Not really. All it takes is the silent outreach of a heart to a God who is listening. He’s sitting on the windowsill of heaven with his arm reaching down to you. He’s really not that far away. He’s smiling at you. You are the crown of his creation, the joy of His heart and He wants to have an intimate relationship with you. To be the only One that matters. Some may say that’s nuts. To you, it may be a bead of hope that you can grab onto with your hands and let Him swing you into His world. You’ll never be sorry. Ever.
This is a timeless story for today. Don’t be a person piggybacking on others letting them do all the praying, the searching, all the studying of God's Word. Don’t rely on TV preachers or even your favorite (or not-so-favorite) teacher down the street feed you like a baby bird unable to fly on your own. The anointing of God is free and rich for all, but individual. It’s nonnegotiable. You have to get it for yourself.
Dare I say it? Don’t be a “dumb girlfriend” when you can be a true lover of God.
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