TO LIZ TRACY & ALL DOVES
re:  staying awake

Hello Liz et al, Yes I can certainly identify with you - we strain ourselves looking up, then fall flat on our face; at least we are all rising and falling together - else my friends and family conspire to ship me on over to the "Whispering Pines" community for the very, very nervous, this newly-deveoped living complex, way out in the country.   But have not yet noticed any shirts lying around with exceedingly  long sleeves.....
      Now this is a good point you make, Liz - it is said in the parable that "all" the virgins fell asleep.   The bridegroom was late in coming.  Normally in the eastern weddings, the bridegroom would be expected sometime around ll:00 p.m. to ll:30 p.m......but here in the parable it says the bridegroom turns up at midnight - yes, they all fell asleep, but their expectancy went into overtime.    HAS THAT NOT HAPPENED ALSO TO US?
      Also, the family of the bride did have some preparation time, as the friends of the bridegroom gave about three days' notice to her family - obviously she would need this time, and this is why the virgins "gathered" together, because they expected the bridegroom sometime over the next few days.   So this parable is speaking about that time of preparation and waiting and watching, just prior to the arrival of the bridegroom.    This bridegroom was at least a half-hour late if not an hour late.   Shame on him for heaven's sake.
      We are children of the day and so "we will see that day coming".    We are waiting, hopefully with extra oil stored in our extra oil container, for our lamps.   This is the time we are in right now, and there certainly is a heightened expectancy, even among the foolish virgins - they hear talk of the second coming of Christ also.   (Then they yawn, and tiptoe out of the room.....)
      Notice carefully, the wise and foolish "slumbered and slept".....here is another division in this group - the wise "slumbered" (slept lightly with an ear cocked in readiness), whereas the foolish "slept", signifying a deep sleep, unaware of their surroundings.   They are those who the apostle says are of the night - they sleep and are drunken in the night.   Foolish virgins.
      So, yes, we who avidly wait for Him to arrive, sense the hour is late, we drift off into spiritual quietude, yet still with that eye and ear ready for the first glimmer of something to occur.
      Then the moment arrives, and up jump all the virgins - this noise and clamour wake them all, and out they head to meet the Lord.   Notice the foolish think they are going, too, at least at this point.   They find they are running out of oil.   Just what is this oil?   Yes, the Holy Spirit, indeed, for we are told to "be filled with thet Holy Spirit"...this pre-supposes that some can have a very paltry presence of the Holy Spirit, or we can elect to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and turn our backs upon the world.   There is another thing about these lamps.   The Psalmist says, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet".   Yes, His Word lets us know what is about to happen, and what is happening when the event occurs.    For "we have a more sure word of prophecy - as of a LAMP in a dark place".   So, the wise virgins (they are called wise, which is a depiction of someone who has studied something - like a "wise counselor" or whatever....they know something intellectually that others do not.   The wise virgins are called wise simply because they know what is going on.   The foolish do not know what is going on, and appeal to the wise for their "oil" - wisdom, Spirit, knowledge of the Word, etc.     The wise virgins say hey go get your own, we may not have time to teach you all these things - you go buy your own supply of Spirit, wisdom, knowledge of prophecy, etc.,         We collected these things because of our love of the Lord - you did not while you could have done so....now there may not be time, before He closes the door...................
      Keep looking up, Doves.....he is late by our reckoning, but when we finally meet that last saint up there who makes up the bride, we can all go on over to this guy or gal and say, "could you just have gotten your act together just a little sooner?"
      The Lord is jealous of each and every one of His sheep.   I will never want to hurry Him, for what if He had come when I was younger and didn't have a clue about Him, the rapture or anything else?   The door then would have been shut on me, without even a chance of "trying" to make it to Him at the rapture.........That last saint is important - to Him, and to us.
      Love from your sister in Christ.....Arlene