A Match and a Wick

It is said about us that we are the light of the world. And as believing people, we understand that this light must have the right Source, and the purpose of shining is to make people sitting in darkness glorify God for this light. I accept such a position and begin to know the True Light to become His reflection. Touching the Eternal God, I discover new sources of life and light granted by Him. And my life, like the Moon, reflects the abundance of revelations pouring into it. Neighbors look at me and recognize Jesus in my behavior, and I rejoice at such an outcome and try to be absolutely pure so that God's light can freely reflect from the surface of my character.

The closer we get to the end of Earth's history, the more insistently the Lord advises me to buy oil for the lamp from Him and make a reserve of this oil in the vessels of my experience and knowledge. I do not understand such a necessity, but I listen to the instruction of the Faithful Witness and buy everything offered.

How amazingly beautiful it is to receive such a Heavenly treasure in exchange for my time and sins, to lower my hands into the endless ocean of God's love and, scooping it with my palms, watch how it, passing through my fingers of faith, pours into the hearts of neighbors by the Holy Spirit! What a captivating sight! Thanks to me, other people also become partakers of Heavenly treasures and can taste them from my hands, filling their hearts with pleasant experiences. This is truly an enormous value that makes not only me rich but also those to whom I give it.

Eye salve opens my mind and spiritual vision so that I can penetrate the depths of the ocean of God's love and evaluate the boundless deposits of new blessings that await the inquisitive seeker of the hidden, wanting to evaluate not only the total area of God's ocean but also its volume. Amazingly, this love is infinite not only in the breadth of its revelations but also in the depth of its knowledge. Diving into the golden ocean, I wish to reach the bottom and understand where the foundation is into which all this is poured, but every time I am convinced that God's love has no limits that, having reached, I could say that I have finally found those boundaries of Eternity by which I can evaluate its volume.

Engaging in the knowledge of gold refined by fire, I become the owner of a beautiful white garment that, like Divine light, begins to cover my nakedness, and all my shame disappears in the rays of God's glory, and my character is transformed under the influence of this light.

Dedicating my time to acquiring such purchases and showing diligent zeal in constancy, I allow the Faithful Witness to come into the house of my heart and spend time with me so that I can learn at His feet the art of using Heavenly goods.

The Lord reveals the future to me and shows that in the last time, all reserves of Heavenly oil will be very useful to me. But for this to happen, my human spirit must become like a wick.

Until now, I understood this truth as follows. We are all matches in God's box, and He periodically lights us so that we shine in the darkness and prepare the way for Him. It was sufficient for me that, like the Moon, I could reflect His light, and to become a match and shine myself was a special honor. But my Heavenly friend explains to me that the problem with a match is that it shines by itself. It quickly ignites, and in its light, many things become visible, but its inner potential is limited. It is not suitable for a lamp. It is independent of Heavenly goods, and although it is not cold by itself, it cannot be called hot either. It is capable of giving warmth to neighbors, but only for a short time, and in the end, it will burn itself and burn God's fingers. And even if it is poured with oil in a fading state, it will not be able to maintain this fire, for it has burned out from the inside, although it can periodically flare up when touching the Source of light.

But a wick is good because it does not have a very high opinion of itself. It understands that it is only a conductor of Heavenly oil, which flows through it from the vessel into the lamp and is transformed into fire. And it causes no harm. The Lord can regulate this light by pulling part of the wick out of the oil for brighter shining or hiding the entire wick in gold so that only a small flame flickers on its surface.

Pondering this science of a luminous life, I understand that I am nobody, and by myself, without a supply of oil and a lamp, I am of no value, but rather resemble an unwise match that, having a limited inner potential, considers it sufficient to shine without going out during tribulation. A wick without oil can also burn, but not for long, producing much soot and flickering. And what should I do to be like this? The Lord answers that I should become zealous and diligent in buying His goods and repent of my self-confidence and ignorance. He assures me of His love and makes me understand that His punishment in case of my carelessness will not be long in coming. He knows how to bring out of sleep and numbness and rebuke those He loves.

But why punish me when I am learning? But in the process of this learning, I sometimes return to old rails and behave as if I am rich, have become rich, and need nothing. My sinful memory manages to appropriate even Heavenly treasures, trying to convince me that my love for people is genuine, not like those novices who have crowded at the store door and dare not enter. And here I receive a good blow to my soft spot and remember that I am also human, and I take my place in God's lamp, burning with shame from my arrogance but no longer burning out from pride.

The fire that purifies gold also purifies me. I am completely soaked in this fuel oil, and I feel the warmth of my lamp. The only thing that very much worries me is the presence of oil in the vessel from which there is a constant supply of Heavenly product to the burning zone.

Passing through the wick of my conscience, this oil cleanses it, saturating every thread of my consciousness with its wonderful aroma of love, wisdom, and light.

I look at the unwise matches, at how they sleep soundly, not understanding that their resource is limited, and I try to awaken them, pointing to the Heavenly Merchant who joyfully accepts new buyers and is ready to share the boundless resources of God's love with everyone. And He asks me whether, when He comes, He will find faith in those for whom He paid a very high price? The Lord registers all new buyers, writing down their addresses, and then comes and stands at their doors, wishing to continue relationships not only in the store but also in home conditions and improve skills in using the purchases made by His regular customers.

To His regular customers, our Heavenly Merchant decides to offer entry into eternal trade relations, where in exchange for all of me and all my time, I can have unlimited access to Him and everything He possesses. He promises that He will share His throne with me and allow me to sit next to Him, and no one will ever drive me out of the ocean of love, and I will be able to share it eternally with other wicks.

Questions for Reflection on this Chapter

1. Please read John 4:13-14; Proverbs 13:9; 20:27; 24:29; 31:18; Philippians 4:13; Luke 11:33-36; 18:7-8; John 1:6-9; 15:4-6; Matthew 5:14-16; 25:3; 2 Samuel 22:29; Psalm 17:29; 83:7-8; 26:1-4; 118:105; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Psalm 16:15; Ephesians 1:17-21; 3:16-21; Hebrews 1:3; 9:14; Psalm 44:9-10; Revelation 3:18-21; Isaiah 60:1-5; Daniel 12:3; Hosea 6:3,6; Zechariah 4:2,6,12,14 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. Does the language of parables help you understand spiritual values?

4. Who did you see yourself as in this chapter?

5. How do you understand the expression: "You are the light of the world"?

6. Is there a difference in what light is in me and who is its source?

7. Why is the presence of oil so important in the last time?

8. What does oil for the lamp symbolize? Why is it sold? (Matthew 25:9-10)

9. Ask your brothers and sisters from the church where one can buy oil for the lamp, then share their answer.

10. Why is it so important to be a conductor of God's light, taking oil supplies from Him?

11. Did you understand what it means to be a "match"? How does this look in your life?

12. Will anything change in my life if I only decide who to be and live correctly but do nothing to achieve it?

13. Do these lessons help change something in your thinking? If yes, in what direction?

14. Why is it important to have the mindset of a righteous person? And what is this?

15. Do you believe that Christ stands at your door, knocking and calling? After what actions of yours will He come to have dinner with you?