Within the Vine

It was party time

The girls gathered at the right time and place

Adorned in gorgeous finery

To meet and greet warmly, they compared makeup,

Sniffed perfume, showed off and admired the latest adornments

Earrings, bangles, necklaces

They caught up on gossip, laughed and danced

Like birds of the air, bright and alive with noise and colour

They had a role to play,

an important role, but no-one knew when

As night wore on some were mindful of their duty

Others forgot themselves, giving into the pleasures of the party

They turned the music up, drank a little deeper

They turned their lamps up and burned brighter for it…

Regardless of the consequences

They stopped watching

They made the most of each feel good moment

When the guest of honour arrived

The girls were to be His welcoming party,

Going out into the night, they would light His way.

When He finally arrived

Those who had kept their best for Him were ready

They stood together Constant and Faithful

For He was their Focus

He was their Purpose

The girls who chose to make Pleasure their Purpose

Found too late, they had nothing left to offer Him

 

They called for the Constant and Faithful to help them

Help to Cover errors

Help to Hide mistakes

Help to Undo choices

And I pause in my reading of the Word

What would I do?

I’ve done the homework

I know my own

I’m a People Pleaser

I would probably Rescue

I would feel pity

I would share

But

I would meet my own need

I would salve my conscience

I would follow my own motivation

I would interfere

I would meddle where I do not belong

I pause to consider

The Divine Storyteller ends it another way

He allows the Consequences of Choice to Teach the Lesson

Those who choose anything or anyone before or above Him

Miss out on keeping Close Company with Him

I need Him at the core of all I do

I need Him The very Heart and Hub

I need Him as my Focus

Single-minded, I need to put Him first

I need to hold onto Him

I need to Lift Him high to light the path I choose

The enemy prowls

I need to understand how I am

Where my strengths, my weaknesses

Beware of selfish motivation

Strengths, Weaknesses both weapons in the wrong hands

I need to understand who I am in Christ

My Lord Knows All

He encourages me

To do all in His Name

But not in my own strength,

Nor for my own purpose or motivation

But at the prompting and empowering of the Spirit of God

 

Then will my lamp burn brightest

For the Purpose of the King

Words and Pictures © Denise Stanford 2010

Inspired by Matthew 25 v1-13

~ by Denise Within the Vine on 31/03/2010.

Posted in Encouragement, Passion Week, Reflections, Walking with Him