Keep your lamp burning!

What does it mean to keep oil in the lamp? it means to be attentive to situations, influences, feelings, thinking, sayings, omissions and so many other things that can bring us to dark places and death. Well depression, angst, anxiety, anger, and all the fruits and consequences of the spirit of death are real as daylight.

Therefore, this warning in the Bible of keeping our lamp light is a wonderful manifestation of God’s love and mercy for humankind through Jesus Christ our saviour. This warning is also like the parable that says - if your eyes, hands, feet, … cause you to sin cut them off. Well, this does not mean we should destroy our bodies but rather that we need to stop our bad habits and wrong ways and doings that are bringing the spirit of death upon us. Because a death body cannot perceive the presence or hear the voice of God.

These warnings are very important because they clearly tell us what we need to do to stay in the presence of God. For instance, I tend to allow people to rub off their bitterness on me. If someone is rude to me, I may withdraw my physical self from the situation, but my spiritual self, stays hooked up. Here is where I know that the word of God that teaches us that we are fighting against higher forces than simple flesh, is not being well fermented in me. Here is where I am unable to give fruits. And though I am aware of this lousy condition of mine, I am also aware that my strength is poor towards the changing of this situation.

But here is also where our sweet and divine saviour and redeemer comes in. Thank you, father, for our saving grace and hiding rock – Jesus Christ.

Jesus says - come to me and I will give you rest. I say - how do I do that? I really want to, but I don’t know how. Jesus says - pray and open your heart to me. Tell me about your struggles and all that is taking away your peace of mind and messing with your connection with God. I tell Jesus about it all. And Jesus says - whatever you ask our father in my name it will be granted to you. Just ask with sincerity and faith.

What do I mean when I say I am not being able to remove my spiritual self is that in many situations, Christianly known as temptation, I am not able to train my soul to not be troubled even when I can clearly see it is a spiritual attack. This happens specifically when I have to deal with people who intentionally or most of the time unintentionally hurts my psycho and my soul on a daily basis. They are people who I coexist with under the same roof. They are people who I trust. They are people who I am surrounded with and calling friends. They are neighbours. And the list goes on.

But what I have also learned is that no matter what I do I will always be surrounded by bitterness because bitterness is also a part of my natural nature. So there is probably a purpose with having bitterness around me, well, it is an opportunity to remind myself of my sinful condition. It also tells me that I am prone to become the bitter one who goes around and pesters others as well. It tells me also that here is where the word that tells me we are fighting against hire forces than flesh can be understood and accepted. Because it is not until I understand and accept the word of God that I will be able to come to Jesus sincerely for help, guidance and salvation.

So, if I want to keep oil in my lamp and have it enduring and burning until our saviour Jesus comes then I will have to do an effort to understand and acknowledge that salvation starts within myself/each individual.

So, how do we keep our lamps burning? Here are a few guides from the Bible:

- Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:)

- Fear not and have a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)

- Give honour and praises to God (1 Samuel 2:30)

- Ask whatever you need in Jesus Name (John 14:13)

Therefore, Father God I humble today before you and ask you for forgiveness of all my sins against your holy word and against you. In Jesus holy name. Amen!