Ever had cool coffee? Not cold coffee—not “iced coffee.” That’s a whole thing. I mean coffee that should be hot but cooled down to a degree less than warm, but not quite cold. Cool coffee. It’s not great, right?
Or what about when you put leftovers in the microwave? A big plate of spaghetti with meat sauce, you heat it, you carry it across the room and get all situated. The first few bites are good. And then you hit a cold spot. It’s awful, isn’t it? Disgusting. Everyone knows that feeling.
In Revelation 3, Jesus addressed the church of Laodicea—which many believe represents the church TODAY:
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. But because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say [and doesn’t this sound like the American Church?] ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked….” Revelation 3:15-17.
Are we hot or cold or lukewarm? Cold people have no heart for God. Hot people are passionate about Him. Lukewarm people are what—KINDA into God? Like the rock singer who sings, “Jesus is just alright[1] with me, Jesus is just alright, oh yeah”? That song was made famous by the Doobie Brothers. I don’t know them personally, but Wikipedia describes the Doobie Brothers as “not religiously inclined.” Yeah. Lukewarm.
Why are people lukewarm? Consider the rest of the passage: they consider themselves rich and self-sufficient. But Jesus says their lives are a wreck, lacking everything that matters. So be thankful when you are poor and suffering—when you cannot think of yourself as “wealthy and [in] need of nothing.” Because when you FEEL ‘wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,’ that is often when you are the most on FIRE for God. He uses adversity to shake us out of a complacent, lukewarm state. So welcome suffering. Talk to Jesus about it.
Dear God, use my struggles today to ignite passion for You. Don’t let me be lukewarm.
ΑΩ
[1] “Alright,” while tolerated in song lyrics is not a word and is actually ALL WRONG. Instead, use two words: ALL RIGHT.
Household Words: 