Author: Christine Wyrtzen

“At that time, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight, the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’” ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later, the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.  Matthew 23:1-13

In this story, ten young women wait for a bridegroom to arrive so they can start the wedding feast. All ten carry their oil lamps, but only half prepared by bringing extra oil. The other five assume they will be fine, believing their oil supply will be enough. Things might have gone well for all ten, but the bridegroom is delayed. This changes everything. During the wait, the differences among the women become clear. 

When they hear, “He’s here!”… they wake up. All of them rush to light their lamps, but five of them don’t have enough oil to keep them lit. Their lights are dimming because they didn’t plan ahead while waiting for him. Now, in a panic, they rush to buy oil, but when they return, the door is locked, and the bridegroom does not open it to them. 

The focal point of this parable is the oil and what it symbolizes – a person’s inner life. It’s about what the virgins did while waiting for their groom. Were they nurturing intimacy, focusing on faithfulness and obedience? The oil represents their hidden reservoir of love. 

All ten have lamps and look much the same from the outside but it’s not enough to look ready.  Not enough to be in the right place.  Not enough to have a lamp.  Only some have kept their flame of love alive through long nights of the soul.  Only some have prepared because they long to be ready when the Bridegroom arrives.

Some lead quiet spiritual lives with little or no fanfare.  They may be housebound, or intercessors, even understated worshippers.  Their lamps burn brightly, but they are overlooked in favor of those who are busy and visible.  In the end, it’s never about knowing facts about the Bridegroom.  It’s being known by Him.  It’s about a posture of watchfulness, fueled by faith cultivated in obscurity.  The five who weren’t ready weren’t wicked.  They were unprepared.

In the long night of waiting, don’t let me doze off and go to sleep.  Amen

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”  And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”  Luke 18:1-8

This parable is usually called the Story of the Persistent Widow.  Persistence ~ A very difficult thing to maintain when odds are against you, when weariness sets in, when you see no progress to encourage you, and when you begin to doubt that there will ever be a reward for digging in your heels. 

This is one of my favorite parables.  It’s about a woman with no power, no husband to speak for her, and someone with no social standing.  She was absolutely alone in a world where justice was elusive for one who was so vulnerable.  But ~ she showed up every single day to plead with a judge who had no fear of God and little regard for people.  He seemed so cold and detached, the way Jesus described him. 

I wonder if this woman decided she would just not be ignored.  She just kept on asking.  She was not shy to keep the story of her pain at the forefront.  And finally, the judge gave in.  He relented.  It was not out of compassion that he relented.  She wore him down!  Her consistent pleading pierced his indifference. 

Jesus compared God, His perfect, compassionate Father, to the corrupt judge.  He encouraged His audience by reminding them that if someone unjust will give in to persistence, how much more will a God who loves with everything He has.  He gave everything in the gift of His Son to prove it. 

This parable honors quiet resilience.  Someone unseen by the world persevered in a form of worship – a holy defiance against the despair of giving up. She did not ask in faith, for the one with the power was not like God.  But we can ask in faith, knowing that the One with all power is for us, not against us.

Oh Father, You long for me to trust Your love, Your character, even when circumstances tell me I should give up.  I will not let go of You.  Amen

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at my table?  Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?  Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?  So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”  Luke 17:7-10

This parable feels sharp. When I read it this morning, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to explore it. But I had a change of heart. This story from Jesus is not about being unkind. It’s relevant because I can often wrestle with my identity and my longing to be seen and valued for what I do. 

I believe Jesus was helping His disciples re-adjust their expectations of discipleship.  Because their relationship with Him was rooted in love, they were freed to serve from a deep place of identity rather than performance.  He wanted them to know that they were already loved and didn’t need to earn a place at His table by their good works. 

When the workers said they were ‘unworthy servants’, they did not mean they were worthless. They meant they owed nothing because of their service. They served for a different reason entirely – love and the joy of obedience. 

Have you ever had the thought that if you served God by doing something hard, He would bless you to compensate?  This parable dispels that kind of thinking.  Love is not a contract.  Service is not a business deal.  We take up our cross, not for blessing, but because we have been loved.  Paul said, “The love of Christ constrains me to live my life for Him.”  2 Cor. 2:14

I can’t do anything today to make God love me more than He already does. I can’t sacrifice myself on the altar of Christian service to draw more attention to myself. The love Christ demonstrated on the cross for me IS the driving force that burns in my heart. Love is the currency. Jesus is the treasure. I don’t need to work for attention and reward. Both are already mine. 

When You washed the disciples’ feet, You did not do it to be honored.  You poured Yourself out for love.  Thank you for the example.  Amen

The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows – he does not know how.  The earth produces by itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  Mark 4:26-28

You are someone who loves deeply, works quietly behind the scenes, and wonders if you’ve done enough to make a difference. There has been no immediate reward, no proof that something has begun in the spiritual realm. However, this parable assures us that planting spiritual seeds is enough. Something will take root because of the nature of the seed.  

It’s discouraging when we don’t see results right away.  Sometimes, over a decade, the outcome can seem bleak. But we don’t need to understand how spiritual seeds grow. We’re not the gardeners.  This brings peace to our anxious souls when we wonder if anything we’ve done matters. 

Jesus wants us to know that we can trust the process. We must keep sowing.  Seeds germinate—even when we can’t see a blade of grass. It’s hard to rest in the promises of a Husbandman who grows things in the dark, but holy things are birthed in the unseen. The root system must develop before any fruit appears, and that takes time.

There are prayers that you’ve prayed in faith. You’ve seen no results yet.  But prayers are never stagnant. They continue to live in God’s presence because every single word matters.  The tears you’ve cried matter.  Long after you got up from your bedside, God started working in ways you can’t comprehend. 

There are also scriptures you have quoted out loud.  You hung on to hope by a thread.  You still see no evidence that righteous outcomes are on the horizon.  But God’s word is a seed. Because you planted it, it will bear fruit.  Every scripture you stood in ~ is active.

God’s kingdom grows quietly, like seeds beneath the surface of the soil.  We can take a moment to breathe because even while we slept last night, God was at work.  And even when we step away today to do other things, God will still be faithful.  There is no expiration date to His promises.

I’m in good hands.  Those I’m praying for, You love and are invested in. When I can’t see evidence, my faith will stand.  Amen

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.  The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’  Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus shares this parable to remind us that good and evil coexist, side by side, in our world.  In the story, the children of God are the good seeds while the children of the devil are the weeds. The harvest represents the sifting that God will bring about at the end of the age. Although we are weary of waiting, we cannot assume He is lenient on justice. He is slow to bring about the end for a reason and does things in His own time. 

Jesus said that pulling out weeds too early can harm wheat that isn’t ready to be harvested. If you are spiritually sensitive and compassionate, this can be tough. You’re the first to feel tension in the room, and it affects you before most others. You process relational dysfunction deeply and wonder if healing will happen fast enough to prevent you from reaching a breaking point. It’s tempting to handle the weeds by cutting ties and trying to bring fairness to situations instead of waiting on God. Oh, there’s probably something happening right now that you really want to set right.   

At the same time, Jesus isn’t telling us to ignore evil. We commit to living in a grace-filled coexistence. We don’t try to fix everything and everyone. God sees the field with the wheat and the tares and will harvest it in due time. Our role now is to flourish as wheat. We are not called to purify the field but to remain faithful while living among children of darkness.   

You might wonder if a grace-filled coexistence means we should let others harm us or live without boundaries. Absolutely not. Jesus moved with grace through dangerous times, but He also acted in truth. How did He know which to lean toward at any moment? By listening to His Father. 

Difficult people will always be around me. They will brush against me in my garden and often encroach on my space. I will turn toward the Light and shield my roots. I will remember that I am wheat, not a weed. I will grow in the life of the Spirit, extend grace when God asks, and keep my eyes on the prize. God has planned a wonderful redemptive ending, as beautifully depicted in this parable, and I can trust Him to govern wisely while I wait.

I’m so comforted that You know all about co-existence.  You walked here among good and evil, among the messiness of family and friend’s dynamics.  And you modeled it perfectly.  You’ve promised to help us.  Thank you.  Amen

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”  Matthew 7:24-27

None of us will set out to build a house on sand.  We understand all too well the inevitable result: the moment the first storm arrives; the foundation begins to crumble. It won’t take long for repeated storms to bring the entire structure crashing down. Even the highest levels of craftsmanship and architectural ingenuity can’t shield against this fate. Think back to the last image you encountered of homes ravaged by an F5 tornado. In those scenes, the distinction between a luxurious mansion and a humble shack vanishes. In the end, rubble is just rubble.    

This parable applies to my spiritual life.  Only I can determine whether my house will be firm against the current of our godless times and the relentless efforts of the enemy to destroy my faith and the stability I was meant to enjoy.

Without a strong foundation, I will have no divine perspective on anything that happens to me.  I’ll take everything personally and seek fairness, justice, and love from my self-created pedestal.  My life will unravel with me at the helm.

My home will be comprised of baby Christians who are battered by life.  Self-pity, resentment, and selfish ambition will be the ugly beasts at every breakfast table.  We will become a huddled group of sandcastles – trying to hold each other up when the wind blows. 

Churches built on shifting sand fill their pews with baby Christians. Community life is based on tradition and ritual rather than Spirit-driven energy.  People languish for lack of knowledge.  Individuals struggle due to a lack of understanding about the abundant life Christ offers them.

If you and I were to stand on a beach during a storm, we would be pelted with the sand that the winds kick up.  There would be nowhere to hide.  In and among the rocks however, we’d find refuge and protection. 

Give us the spiritual grit to fortify our foundations.  Amen

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7

Do I love who Jesus loves?  In this parable, the one of great value is the one who has strayed the farthest from home, the odd one of the hundred, the one no one is looking for.  Quickly forgotten, he is left to question his own value as, over time, he realizes that no one is pursuing him.  What an awful discovery as he looks over his shoulder and dreams of unconditional love calling his name from behind.  How devastating to realize that the ninety-nine are happy without him. When he has depleted all his resources and realizes he is lost, how will he find his way back? 

Jesus’ heart is for the one so far from the fold.  The Holy Spirit longs to pursue, leaving breadcrumbs as calling cards, wooing the wanderer back onto the pathway that leads to the open arms of the Father.  But He needs people who will carry out this mission of mercy.  

It is easy for us to value those who seem Christian. They look respectable. The ones farthest from Christ can turn us off. Tattoos, piercings, Gothic-style clothing, a past that makes us blush, a language that downright intimidates—these can send us elsewhere to do ministry.

God sent Jesus to ‘seek and to save’ those who are lost.  They need arms to carry them home.  They need to discover that they have been missed.  If I don’t go looking, they will assume that God is no more interested than I am.  I’ve taught them how to perceive God.

Who has wandered from the fold that has all but been forgotten? Is anyone searching for them? Could it be you? Might it be me? 

Make me one in your compassionate search party.  We are Your body – carrying out Your mission of love.  Amen

And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”  Matt. 13:52

In high school, my toughest subject was science. I thought I just wasn’t wired to understand it, but looking back, the teacher was checked out. He didn’t show that he cared about science at all. He was dispassionate. As an adult, I discovered that I enjoy exploring the science of things. I’m a curious person who loves to learn, and I can’t stand not knowing how to do something.  

Every great teacher brings what matters to life. Jesus did this by telling parables. He took ancient truths about the kingdom of God and revived them by re-framing them into stories. Through these, He provided people with history and context. And there was never a more passionate teacher than He was when defending those truths with His life.     

In this specific parable, Jesus emphasized the role of scribes in the kingdom of heaven. Scribes—who served as teachers and interpreters of the law—were likened to the heads of a household who manage and care for their valued possessions. Scribes trained and equipped with spiritual knowledge share a similar responsibility and privilege, drawing from both the old and the new. 

The “old” refers to the traditions, teachings, and wisdom of the past, while the “new” represents the fresh revelations that arise from understanding God’s kingdom in today’s context. Jesus wants us to know that heritage is important, but so is contextualization.  It’s up to teachers to help us process both of these, and the weight of this holy calling is borne by the one who conceived it ~ the Holy Spirit of God.

You’ve called me to teach.  Help me learn more but also empower me to share wisdom that resonates with our times. Amen

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.  Matthew 13:44-46

Have you ever found something you really wanted in a store, but you weren’t ready to buy it yet, so you hid it and came back for it later? A hidden treasure is the subject of this parable. Unfortunately, the person who discovered it doesn’t have enough money to buy it yet, so he buries it to make sure no one else finds it before he can afford to buy it. He sells everything he has to make it his own.  

There is no greater picture in the scriptures of what it means to embrace Jesus as my treasure. Committing my life to Him isn’t just an intellectual choice; it is a radical decision driven by my heart. I am willing to say goodbye to my old life altogether. My autonomy, my possessions, my dreams, my rights, my beliefs, my relationships—these are the currencies I’m willing to spend to make Him mine. When Jesus is the treasure—there is no price too steep. 

Like Job, my heart turns over at the thought that Jesus is really mine. If the Almighty is your treasure and your precious silver, then you will find joy in the Almighty. Job 22:25-26 His value only increases with every revelation. 

It’s been 63 years, Jesus, since I committed my life to You—kneeling by my bed in a mountain cabin. I used to think salvation was the gift, but I was wrong. It’s YOU. I love You. Amen

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold.Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment. But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.  “When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins. He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’ “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt. “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.  Matthew 18:23-34

A STORY

One day, God permits me to stand on the edge of heaven. I see the breathtaking landscapes, but above all, I see the LORD in all His radiant glory. I cannot look at Him because I am unclean in His presence. I cry out above the volume of the angelic worshipers.  

“Lord, my sin!  I want to be with You but I am a condemned woman and have no access to Your kingdom.” 

“What if I forgave everything you’ve ever done against me?” He asked.

“Would You really wipe away every single offense?” The thought is too outrageous. Seeing the great chasm between us, I feel hopeless that such forgiveness exists. 

I ask again in desperation. “If Your love really is that great, please forgive me. I repent of all that I’ve done to sin against You.”

Jesus approaches and whispers softly, “I forgive You and declare You holy, Christine. One day soon, You will come and live with me here. It’s a sure thing.” Overcome by His grace, I return to my life with new hope.

However, some time passes, and a trusted friend sells me out without a moment’s hesitation. The hurt feels jarring ~ it’s deeply personal, plunging me into a painful abyss of sorrow and righteous outrage. The act of treachery feels incomprehensible, and no matter how hard I try to understand why such evil was done against me, I find no answers. I hear the Lord whisper in my ear, “Forgive them, as I forgave you. Reflect on the enormity of your previous offenses against Me and how much I loved you then, and love you now!”

Yet, I struggle to recall my past transgressions with clarity. My fury towards the traitor clouds my perspective, and I yearn for quick retribution. I say to myself, “I will cut him off, strike back with choice words, making him regret his actions until he is sorry enough.” 

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The severity of someone else’s sin against me is insignificant in comparison to the judgment I would have encountered for my own transgressions against God. The secret to forgiving freely, just as Jesus forgave me, lies in remembering His extravagant mercy. Jesus said it this way, “He who has been forgiven little loves little. But he who has been forgiven much, loves much.” 

Oh Savior, show me once again where I would be without Your atonement. Amen.