Imagine, you have spared no expense in securing your home. A towering perimeter wall encircles it, crowned with electric fencing. At the gate stands a solid steel barrier, reinforced with a rare padlock, one so unique it cannot easily be forged. With such measures in place, you rest easy at night, convinced your fortress is impenetrable. It gives you confidence, even peace of mind, as you drift into sound sleep.
But one hurried evening, everything changes. You drive in, park the car, and in your rush forget to lock both the gate and the car. Without a second thought, you head inside, share a meal, and quickly retreat to bed. Night deepens, and sleep comes easily. Then, in the silence, thieves returning from their dark activities stumble upon your gate unlocked. You were not their target, but an open door is a ready invitation. With a single push, they are in. Swiftly, mercilessly, they strip your living room of its treasures; your television, your couch, anything of value within reach. And then they vanish.
Morning comes, and as you rise, the shock hits. Your fortress, your careful investment, has failed. The walls still stand, the gate is strong, the padlock remains unbreakable but one simple failure to secure it all has left you with nothing. Anger floods in, but so does the bitter realization: what you had invested in gave no return, because you neglected the smallest daily act that made it effective.
Believers, should this not caution us in our walk of faith? We may build up layers of outward security, but without the daily habit of watchfulness, prayer, and readiness, we risk losing everything when it matters most.
Having lamps full of oil is keeping watch in view of eternity which means remembering that when the dust settles, only what is anchored in Christ will last. As stewards on this earth, our outlook must be shaped by eternity an outlook that guides how we live and serve. This requires constant spiritual vigilance, unceasing prayer, and a keen awareness of Satan’s deceptions and the signs of the times. It means staying close to Christ, nurturing earnest faith, and guarding against the snares of self-confidence and worldly distraction. We must watch our thoughts, seek discernment, and remain faithful stewards of God’s work in the light of the prophetic timelines revealed to humanity.
Life itself reminds us how fragile and uncertain it is. We plan, we build, we secure our futures but one sudden illness, a global pandemic, or a natural disaster can upend it all. In such moments, we hear again the urgent words of Jesus: “Therefore keep watch.”
Jesus illustrated this truth in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). Ten young women waited for the bridegroom. Five were wise, bringing oil for their lamps; five were foolish, unprepared when the bridegroom finally arrived. At the midnight cry, the difference between preparedness and neglect became clear.
This story speaks powerfully into our modern world. Many people prepare diligently for temporal needs they save for retirement, insure against risks, and invest in technology. Yet spiritual preparation is often neglected. The “oil” represents the unseen reserves of faith, prayer, obedience, and commitment that cannot be borrowed at the last minute. Just as the five wise virgins carried extra oil, we too are called to nurture a personal, enduring relationship with Christ that will sustain us when life is interrupted by the unexpected.
In our times, crises come like the midnight cry. A sudden economic downturn, a climate catastrophe, or even the noise of digital distractions can jolt us from routine. Only those whose lives are anchored in Christ will remain steadfast, shining with hope when others stumble in fear.
You may have heard the term a black swan event .A black swan event is a rare, unpredictable occurrence with a severe, widespread impact, which, in hindsight, is often rationalized to seem predictable. These events are characterized by their extreme rarity, a lack of clear warning signs beforehand, and significant consequences, often financial. Notable events have happened in the past that have been categorised as such. One of them is Covid 19. No one saw it coming. And its termed “black” swan because swans are white and a black one is almost never seen.
In the Height of the pandemic when the government of kenya banned physcial gatthering of people and by extension church services. Many adventists couldn’t fathom how worshipping at home could be considered as true sabbath worship, how one can observe and keep the 4th commandment, the sabbath from home, blimey!!. We had equated sabbath rest with church atttendance and communal worship. This was quite a debate in my university SDA whatsapp group where many could not see how sabbath rest can be observed at home and not in a church. You may all recall how there were conversations on whether the state is constraining worship and other religious liberty concerns. With or without merit covid taught us to live our faith without the satisfaction of church attendance as a mesure of chrisitan faith, it became apparent the yardstick had changed. I pray we all embraced faithful everyday living and an ernest relationship with christ as classical. Post covid the church evolved and online worship was birthed afresh. Covid 19 was a turning point in how we view many christian practices and piety.
Investing in eternity cannot be constured to be an outward show of piety; attending church or how christ-like we are on sabbath but our quiet relationship with christ that impacts our behaviour. Many christians can attest how we perform when no one is watching is quite a testament of the christian we are. The book of Revelation is not only a vision of the end times but also a call to readiness. Again and again, John records Christ’s warnings: “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed” (Revelation 16:15). Having lamps full of oil in the book of Revelation is to live clothed in righteousness, alert in faith, and steadfast in obedience, even when the world is shaken by turmoil and uncertainty.
We must remember that we live in an enemy’s land. Satan is relentless in his schemes, using subtle words, fair appearances, and deceptive promises to lure souls away from Christ. The life of faith is not a casual walk but a battle that demands constant watchfulness, prayer, and steadfast devotion. Like the scouts Motto “Always be prepared.” So must we, as stewards of eternity, keep our lamps full of oil nurturing faith, obedience, and love each day. For when the midnight cry comes, only those whose lights are burning bright will enter with the Bridegroom into eternal joy.
Stewardship Leader at Kilimani Springs, he is married to Lynda and they are blessed with two children, Kehlani and Kai. A professional electrical engineer and a digital-transformation guru, he is also an avid golfer and a lifelong learner.
