I pour myself a hot cup of coffee and sit down to write. The early morning sun pours in through the frost covered window. It is quiet, a calm not often experienced in my home these days. The kids are sleeping; husband is too. I pick up my pen and begin to write. Thoughts continue pouring out. A while later, I remember I had poured my coffee! I take a big sip. It is lukewarm, on the brink of cool and I want to spit it out.
This instantly reminds me of the lukewarm Christian reference in Revelation 3:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (v. 15-16)
No one enjoys a lukewarm cup of coffee! Jesus makes it clear that He doesn’t enjoy lukewarm either. In fact, he despises it. He would rather someone be cold than lukewarm! When it comes to spirituality, lukewarm is not only unenjoyable, it can actually be detrimental to the faith. It can turn away non-believers and can frustrate those who genuinely serve Christ.
Lukewarm is a dangerous place to be. Not only because Jesus wants to “spit you out”, but also because of the harmful impact it can have on those looking from the outside, in. It can be confusing, hurtful, and hypocritical to live lukewarm and not fully committed to serving Christ. Yes, we are all human and our human nature comes through more often than we would like. But I believe this is more about our will and our desire to serve the living God with reckless abandon. This “hot” that He desires from us grows in our heart when we trust in His ways and commit our will to obey Him.
So if you don’t feel “spiritual” enough or you don’t know scripture well, remember that you are enough because He is more than enough. Pray and ask God to give you a desire to read and know His Word. Allow Him to soften your heart so you can trust Him and His ways. He desires willing hearts. If you feel like you’ve been in a rut lately, cry out to Him. Tell Him you want Him and need Him. He is a jealous God who desires all of our affections. Turn your affections to Him.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” -Mark 12:30
In Him,
Katie Karlson
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