THE CHOSEN ONES
Memorise: So the last shall
be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:16
There were many virgins in the land but only men were
chosen. Before the ten were chosen, you can be sure all other virgins would
have been called. This scenario is seen in the book of Esther. When the king
wanted another wife to replace Vashti, he called all virgins together so that
he could choose one of them. If you are a minister of God, you are already
called but possibly not chosen. Experience has shown that many ministers of God
will not make Heaven. The chosen are selected to be special (Deuteronomy 7:6).
They are also chosen to be peculiar (Deuteronomy 14:2). As a chosen people of
God, everyone should see you as peculiar without you saying a word. The chosen
must be precious (1 Peter 2:4). Are you precious of God? Have you brought
yourself into a relationship with God so that if you die today, God will notice
that somebody has died? The chosen will be defended tremendously against his
enemies (Isaiah 41:9-13). The first reason for choosing the twelve apostles was
for companionship. This is very important, but this quality is lacking in the
life of many ministers of God.
As for the ten virgins, nobody told them when the
bridegroom would arrive. Watch, because you do not know when the bridegroom
will come (Matthew 25:13). You must be extra careful. The foolish were careless
while the wise were careful. The five that took extra oil decided to be extra
careful. They were chosen from a big competition and they knew that another
competition might just be ahead. As admonished in Ephesians 6:13-14, when you
have done all things to stand, stand steadfastly. You never know where your
next test will come from. While you are thanking God for winning one
competition, another may be starting. The chosen will always forget pass
successes because they know they have not reached their goal yet.
“Brethren, I count not myself
to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14
Forget past success because you have not yet reached
your goal. The five wise virgins knew they had been chosen to go and meet the
bridegroom, but the bridegroom had not come yet. They knew that if their oil
should run low, there would be no time to go home for more oil. Once you lay
your hands on the plough, you cannot look back. To avoid looking back, the ones
chosen must take extra precautions from the start.
Key point:
There is great danger which
one relaxes in the midst of unfinished business.
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