I say this by the Fear of the Lord the call to buy oil is ever drawing to a close and we are entering the time to trim our wick! If your reserve of oil is not being stored up, it must be and quick! Beloved, it costs to buy oil, will you pay the price?
“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” (Matthew 25:7)
In this parable there are three key things that make the lamp. The vessel, oil and wick. This aligns with us in that the vessel is our human spirit, that should be full by way of unhindered communion with the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16). The Holy Spirit is the oil. Now our soul is the wick, and the lower end of the wick is placed in the oil so it can absorb it and this is a picture of the renewing of the mind, or sanctification. It is also what enables us to burn for long periods of time. However, the end of the wick becomes charred and often frayed and if the end is not trimmed off, the light diminishes, smoke and soot are then produced, and it can become difficult to light again if it goes out…
This is how our soul is as we walk through our daily life. The trials and tribulations that we encounter are for the molding of Christ's character in us (Ps. 105:19). So we must focus on tending the flame, not allowing the things of the world to stick to us, and choke the flame. We have to spend time in the secret place with Jesus, beholding Him, His character, His ways, in order to be a real reflection of Him and burn brightly!
What happens internally through our spirit and soul is what will or will not be seen by others, which is the human body, the lamp!
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23)
Look at the lampstand found in the Tabernacle, this is symbolic of a disciple of Jesus, as well as a corporate body of believers.
So, what does it mean to trim our wick? the word trimmed (kosmeo); Strong’s G2885 means: “To beautify, arrange, decorate, furnish, embellish, adorn, put in order.”
When a wick is not trimmed the flame gets too hot and not under control, the light is dimmed as soot and smoke increase. What is soot? These are the things that clog the soul from being a free flowing source of the oil (Holy Spirit). Things such as unforgiveness, offence, bitterness, pride, envy, jealousy, disappointments, trauma, grief, and betrayals.
There is a lot of smoke in the church today and that is why people are not seeing any difference from those who claim to believe in Jesus and those of the world.
There is a difference in John 15, and the pruning in which the Lord does, and here where we are to be the ones trimming. This is the obedience to deal with the things we often push to the side because they are not comfortable. Beloved, those things will carry great reward or lack in the age to come!
I also challenge and encourage you to see another person typically overlooked in the parable of the ten virgins. It’s the friend of the Bridegroom. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” (Matthew 25:6) He was not slumbered like the others, and was the forerunner who came to announce the coming of the Bridegroom!
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.” (John 3:29)
Don’t be settled in slumber, and run the risk of being found lacking oil, or having a messy flame! Accept the invitation to become a friend of the Bridegroom!