LET…LOINS BE GIRDED…LIGHTS BURNING

The context of our passage has to do with the Lord coming at the end of the tribulation to judge the earth and set up His kingdom. Verse 36, linked with Revelation 19, states that He comes to the earth after the marriage supper. We in the church age look for the ‘Son from heaven’, 1 Thess. 1. 10. Israel looks for the King on the white horse. But the principle of waiting and serving is the same for us as for the remnant of the tribulation period. Two metaphors are used to show us what manner of people we need to be as servants of our Lord:

1. Our loins need to be girded.

This speaks of fitness as well as readiness to serve. Peter speaks of the ‘loins of your mind’ being girded, 1 Peter 1. 13. The point of Peter’s message is that our minds need to be fitted for and focused on His coming in order to be useful servants. In John 13 we read that the Lord girded Himself with a servant’s garment having laid aside His robe. In grace He stooped to wash the defilement of the way from the feet of His disciples. As we allow Him to wash our feet we learn how to have the same grace and humility to stoop and gently wash one another’s feet.

2. Our lamps need to be burning brightly.

To have lamps that would burn brightly through the long dark night they needed two things. They needed oil in them and they needed to have the wicks trimmed. If we are to have our lamps of testimony burning brightly in this dark world we need the same two things. First, we need the oil of the Spirit. Paul tells us to ‘be filled with the Spirit’, Eph. 5. 18. Secondly, we need to have our wicks trimmed. There are things in our lives that need to be trimmed away so that we can shine brightly for Him. The Word of God will to do this as we open our hearts to hear Him speak to us. His Spirit will convict us of those things in our lives that need to be trimmed. Only then will our testimonies be a bright and shining light.

We do not know when He will come. But when He does will our testimonies be bright and our loins be girded in service for Him? Or will He find us pleasing our selves, building our little kingdoms here with little or no thought of His coming?