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Daily Devotional

Doused In the Spirit

By Dr. Carolyn Tennant
Read Luke 12:35-36 and Matthew 25:1-13

The ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom were going to light his way to the bride’s house. The lamps they carried were different from the ones used inside houses. Those were small clay vessels with a handle that could be held by one finger. For illumination, the wick would be placed in the oil in the clay lamp and then lit. These cast a small light that was big enough to help find the way within an enclosed structure.

When people went outside, however, it was a different matter. Those little house lamps would do nothing much in all that darkness. With no streetlights outside, the town and countryside would be very dark, just like the world. Out there a greater light was necessary so they made big torches. These would start with a long stick, rather like a broom handle. Then they would take strips of old rags and nail them to the top of the stick. They would wrap these around on top and tie them into a big bundle. Then they would douse them in oil.

The amount of oil that it would take to soak up those rags was incredible. This explains why some of the bridesmaids ran out of oil. They had brought quite a bit in large jars. But they literally had to resoak those rags every fifteen minutes to keep their torches going. Soon, it is understandable, they ran out of oil when it got to be so late.

This is why the other bridesmaids could not share their own oil. They weren’t just being stingy. They were close to running out as well. Their hesitation wasn’t in sharing a small amount in a little lamp. Rather they were concerned about sharing a lot of oil for another dousing out of their rapidly depleting jars.

Here is what we have to realize. In these last days before Jesus returns, we all have to make certain that we have a great supply of oil. The anointing, the Holy Spirit, these are our dousings. When we pray, seek His face, spend time in His presence, read His Word, these are when we soak up oil. And we have to keep doing it every fifteen minutes so to speak, over and over again.

When it comes to the end, we can’t borrow someone else’s oil. We had to have maintained our own supply. One leader can’t look to another, and no one else can rely on us. We’re on our own. Lest while we’re out hunting down some more oil, the door gets shut … Sobering!

DR. CAROLYN TENNANT is a Professor of English at North Central University, an Assemblies of God school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is an ordained Assemblies of God minister who maintains an active schedule preaching in churches, district events, family camps and overseas.

The devotionals you enjoy each day on Leaders Unlimited are taken from Frontline: A Devotional Guide for Christian Leaders, by Dr. Carolyn Tennant. To order your own copy, download a Frontline Order Form.