The Oil Press

I would like to share something the Lord spoke to my heart today at dawn that He wants us (professing Christians) to have oil in our lamps. And the first passage from Scriptures that came to my mind was the 10 Virgins.

I searched online to understand the 10 Virgins word better and I found a very profound explanation of oil through Gethsemane. Let's check what Gethsemane really means. I took the following from Denise's Blogspot at http://www.allaboutbecoming.com/like-him/parable-of-the-10-virgins-and-oil-in-our-lamp/

Gethsemane

The word “Gethsemane” means “oil press.” There is significant symbolism here. The Jews put olives into bags made of mesh fabric and placed them in a press to squeeze olive oil out of them. The first pressings yielded pure olive oil which was prized for many uses, including healing and giving light in lanterns. In fact, we consecrate it and use it to administer to the sick. The last pressing of the olives, under the tremendous pressure of additional weights added to the press, yielded a bitter, red liquid which can remind us of the “bitter cup” which the Savior partook of. Symbolically, the Savior is going into the “oil press” (Gethsemane) to submit to the “pressure” of all our sins which will “squeeze” His blood out in order that we might have the healing “oil” of the Atonement to heal us from our sins.

"It is the intense pressure that extracts the oil and gives us the purest oil. If we think of this symbolically in our life, then is it the pressure (the struggles and challenges) that we go through that extract the best in us—that makes us pure and creates our oil? If that is the case, it is our challenges and pressures that create our oil and make us pure enough to see Christ. THIS is the reason we cannot “share” our oil. Our trials are our own. It is through overcoming them and becoming pure that we have ‘oil’ and we cannot share that. Each person must go through this individually.” The trials and challenges we go through are truly blessings. It is the Lord’s way of purging the impurities from our souls and creating a pureness so that we will be able to stand in His presence and live with Him again.

"I found that interesting as read about the second pressing creates a bitter red oil. The secret is to not keep pressing and create bitterness, but to use the struggle or trial to create purity, and then let it fill our lamp and move on."

We all must pass through a process in order to get to where the Lord has for us, we must all be purified, cleansed, purged, scourged, chastened, corrected, humbled if we are children of God and we are abiding in Christ. There is no short way to be like Christ, you must get your "oil press" portion and accept God's process for your life. The faster you understand God's purposes for you, the quicker you will be able to surrender, repent and let God lead you in all His perfect path. The squeezing of the olive (our hearts) is necessary to bring forth the purest olive oil (God's image).

May God help you to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ and accept God's ways which are perfect!

In Christ's love,

Cynthia R. Palmer