“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.” Revelation 3:15-16
Recently, we had our annual Sweet Monday Tea at church, and I used the Laura Ashley tea pot that I bought the first time I traveled to England. I was so excited to be in a “real” Laura Ashley store, as opposed to the ones we had in the states. At the time, I loved all things Laura Ashley, and I loved hot tea, so along with the tea pot, I bought a set of 4 cups and saucers, dinner plates and dessert plates. I do not use them as often anymore, but I still treasure them.
Do we treat God that way sometimes? Do we put Him on the shelf with our Bible or in the cabinet with our favorite teacup? Does your relationship with Him stay hot, as a cup of tea freshly brewed, or does it become lukewarm or even cold when we leave it untouched for a period?
In Revelation 3:14-22, God says: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 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. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Wow! So, because we are lukewarm Christians, He will spit us out of His mouth.
How can we avoid becoming lukewarm? Well, think of your cup of tea. If you do not drink it in a timely manner, it becomes lukewarm or cold and unfit to drink. Have you ever taken a sip of coffee or tea when it is cold? Yuck! So, how do we keep our relationship with God warm or even hot? The same way we do it with any relationship! We spend time with Him, listen to Him, lean on Him, and read His Word. We also spend time with other believers at church, Bible study, small groups, and Sweet Mondays! God wants to be part of our everyday lives. He wants us to talk with Him throughout our days. He wants us to depend on Him for everything. Nothing is too insignificant for Him!
So, how are you doing regarding your relationship to God? Are you keeping your relationship with Him on the front burner? Is He important to you daily? Or have you put Him on the back burner and turned the heat OFF?
God designed us to be in relationship with Him. Our happiest days are when we include Him in them. However, it doesn’t just happen. We must make the effort and it always pays dividends. Just try heating up your relationship with Him if you haven’t already. You will be glad you did!