Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Luke 12:35,36
What an interesting picture is provided for us in our text! It is an eastern scene, a midnight scene in a great house where the master, the lord of the palace has gone away. But he is expected back at any time, so his servants are busy in preparation. Each man has his robe tucked about his middle, so that it does not interfere with his work. Each man also has his lamp in his hand so that he may see to go about his business during the nighttime hours. He keeps his eye turned to the entrance of the palace to catch the first sign of the coming of his master. It is a very appropriate picture of Christians today as we work and watch for our Lord’s return.
The girding of the loins is not something that we relate to with today’s wardrobe. Work pants that we wear these days are designed to allow for efficient movement regardless of the type of work being performed. But that’s not what workers wore back in Bible days. The robes that were worn on most occasions were a nuisance when a man was trying to get some physical exertion into his task. So, when some physical exertion was required, the man would fasten the ends of the robe into his ‘girdle’, or belt, around his waist. Having his loins girded, he would have his legs free to move easily about as he worked. As Christians, we are often restricted in our ability to serve the Lord by the things of the world, even legitimate things that take time and effort away from what we could be using for the Lord. To gird up our loins means we need to prevent the activities of life from interfering with our prayer and Bible reading. We need to prevent our work life from interfering with our spiritual life. We need to prevent the friendships of the world from taking the time and place that we should devote to the Lord and His people. We need to eliminate anything that will keep us from being the witnesses to the world that we should.
Homes in Bible times were not as well lighted as those of today, given that candles and lamps cast their beams for a much shorter distance than the electric lights that we use. So each worker would need to have a light with him as he moved about at his chores. The light of the Word of God should illuminate our chores today. As we daily allow the Word to fill us, we are given wisdom and guidance as to how we are to conduct ourselves. We are shown the dangerous places and things to avoid. We are shown the work that needs to be done.
Are our loins girded and our lights burning today? They must be if we are to be ready when our Lord returns. – Jim MacIntosh