When I hear the phrase eternal perspective, my mind goes to Paul’s words to the Corinthians—that our current affliction is light and momentary and is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory, as we look to the things that are unseen, for these are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
So when we get the bad news, when we’re wading through grief, when we’re in a season of overwhelm with work or kids or whatever—that’s when we remind ourselves: this hard thing I’m going through, it’s light and it’s momentary. Of course, it doesn’t feel that way. It feels awful and impossible and hopeless.
But Paul says our current circumstances are temporary. They’re transient. And he invites us to see the bigger picture. This eternal perspective is often what pulls us out of our hopeless feelings and reminds us to stand on God’s truth as we battle through that difficult season.
As I’ve been asking God what to write for this month’s blog, I’ve been thinking about a different take on eternal perspective. He took me to Matthew 25, the Parable of the Ten Virgins. It describes ten virgins, or ten bridesmaids, who went out to meet the bridegroom. Five are considered wise, for they have oil for their lamps, while the other five are called foolish because they have their lamps, but no oil to replace what’s burned up when the light runs out.
I recently learned that in Jewish culture, there were three phases for the bride and bridegroom. In the first phase, the couple was engaged—this means the fathers had arranged the marriage. The second phase was betrothal—this means the couple had exchanged vows of commitment to one another. The final phase was marriage—this was after a period of time, typically a year, when the bridegroom, who had been preparing their home, would return for his bride, at which point there was a huge wedding feast. The bridesmaids were to watch with their lamps ready and usher in the groom at whatever late hour he arrived.
The bride and her bridesmaids waited with anticipation for the unknown return of the bridegroom. But in the parable, five bridesmaids were prepared while five were not, and for the five that were not, they had to go out and buy more oil. The doors to the wedding feast were shut, and they could not enter. Matthew Henry’s commentary on this parable describes the foolish ones as holding lamps “for show,” or as an appearance of profession, but having “no principle within.”
At the end of the parable, Jesus says, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13). Here and elsewhere, Jesus reminds us that we do not know the day of his return, but make no mistake: He will return. He is coming for his bride—and that’s us, his Church.
We’re told in Revelation 19 that the marriage of the Lamb has come, and “the bride has made herself ready.” Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast! (Revelation 19:7-9)
To live with an eternal perspective means to live with anticipation for the return of Jesus, the bridegroom of the Church. Every. Single. Day.
Will we be ready?
The question is not about works for salvation, but rather the working out of our salvation—that is, our sanctification (Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Am I laying myself down as a living sacrifice, as we talked about in Romans 12? Is my life surrendered? Do I allow the Holy Spirit to continually fill me with fresh oil so that my light will not burn out? Who am I influencing? Who am I discipling?
These are questions we should ask every day as we eagerly wait for the return of Jesus. Yes, our darkest and hardest seasons should compel us to look for God’s eternal perspective. But in the every day, the mundane, the easy and the hard—we should filter everything through the final words of Jesus. We know not the hour; watch, therefore.
Let us be the bride, bright and pure, prepared to meet our bridegroom (Revelation 19:8).
We want to thank Laura Brandenburg for sharing this post.
Women's Ministry 