I pulled on my sweats and gathered my laptop, planner, and water bottle. It was the end of a long day so I wanted to be comfy, but I was running a bit late for a meeting with some friends and had to hustle.
I pulled up to my friend’s home and noticed extra cars parked on the street. Oooo—the neighbors must be having a party, I thought to myself. I knocked on the front door and let myself in, as is the custom with this friend. A long line of women’s shoes ran down the entryway, and I assumed her high schooler was working on a school project with some classmates.
I walked to the kitchen but instead of teenage girls, I saw a group of women—my friends!—and they were drinking wine! My jaw dropped and my mind raced—obviously I had forgotten something or mixed up my dates. This was a party, and I was way underdressed and had not brought a gift.
It was at this point that my friends came over to me and said, “Surprise!” This was not a work meeting—it was a surprise baby shower for me! It took me minutes to understand what was going on, and it was so unexpected that I was a bit shocked, yet immensely happy.
My surprise baby shower was a joyful event, but it also gave me the experience of being completely surprised. My friendships were long-standing and hard-fought throughout the years. We had a rich history of helping each other. But I didn’t expect this. It makes me wonder about the experience the unprepared virgins had in today's Gospel, Matthew 25:12-13.
The virgins were turned away from the groom because they hadn’t put in the effort. I never, ever want to be turned away from the Bridegroom. When Jesus returns I want to be ready to greet Him, and so I spend my days drawing near to Him through His Word, prayer, and doing the work to which He has called me. Do you want the same, sister?
When He returns I will be immensely happy. Come, Lord Jesus!
When Jesus returns, I want to be ready to greet Him. // @BonnieEngstromClick to tweet
Did you catch this podcast episode about getting more out of reading Scripture?
Bonnie Engstrom is a writer, baker, speaker, and homemaker. She lives with her husband and eight children in Illinois. Bonnie is the author of 61 Minutes to a Miracle which tells the story of her son’s miracle that was approved by Pope Francis for the beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen. She is the author of Blessed Conversations Mystery: Believe. Find out more about her here.
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