SOAP Reading for November 10th...a week late

So this week's SOAP passages aren't posted yet on the SOAP blog, but I didn't get to them last week, so here we go!

Matthew 25
Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids* who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

S: I read the scripture through which is a bit ironic because this is one of the passages that Pastor Donnie (a.k.a. my husband) will be using for the advent season.

O: All of the bridesmaids were given oil. Each of the ten had the opportunity to join the groom. Only 5 were wise and had enough oil. The other 5 missed out when the bridegroom came because they were out getting the supplies that they needed. The 5 wise ones were prepared with extra oil. When they tried to get the attention of the groom later, he didn't know who they were because they weren't ready to go with him on time.

A: Hmm... Some parallels that come to mind are that the 10 virgins are all of us. We all get an invitation to this feast. This wedding which is the final party of eternity. Each one of us is invited to join the groom as one of God's children. (I know, bridesmaid, child, groom, God... it gets a bit confusing.) As far as I can tell, the story is saying that each of us needs to be prepared to meet God. We need to be wise and get ourselves ready, so that whenever we do enter eternity, God will "know us". We will have made a decision to live our lives in His direction.
Am I doing that? Am I serving others in the way he expects? Am I learning more about how to be like Jesus by trying to connect to his word daily?

P: God, I pray that I will be prepared. Help me to be wise and to live in your guidance. Help me to see others as more important than myself. I need help to be disciplined. I am inclined to do things the easy way when it comes to my spiritual self. I want to grow in this area.