THE LUKEWARM

You are lukewarm.  Revelation 3:16  NIV

The coffee lingering in your cup, far too long.  The water in your glass sitting for hours, untouched.  The meal, once exquisite, now looks like days-old leftovers, but it’s only been a few hours.  The ice cream, melted into a pool of indescribable matter.

Yes.  Lukewarm is unappealing and God has a lot to say about this condition of the heart.

We are told in Deuteronomy 30:19 –

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

We are told to choose one or the other – no fence riding.  Period.

But what does this look like in our lives?  What is lukewarm?  What does this all mean, really?

In three words:  be all in.

Either side of the fence, be present on that side, make a stand for that side and give it everything you’ve got.  No balancing act, no hypocrisy of saying you are in one camp while in that said camp, and doing the exact same thing while in the other camp.

It is making a decision.

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself.  Daniel 1:8a  NIV

To resolve is to have a pre-made decision before the compromising situation presents itself or ‘friends’ ask you to go against your convictions, or you wander where you shouldn’t, living on the edge so it’s hard to distinguish between flesh and holiness.

Since I write this blog to encourage those in suffering and affliction, how does this apply?  Isn’t suffering enough?  Well, it all depends on perspective.  In the world’s eyes, suffering is enough, you’ve paid your dues, life has dealt you a rough hand, but if you think positive, go along with the program, then nothing else will happen.

Does this sound familiar?  I hear something similar to this all the time.  People talk about their lot in life and press through, albeit with serious struggles, hoping for the one key which will unlock in their favor.

But what does lukewarmness have to do with this?  Easy – we can become complacent, complaining and compromising in the midst of affliction.  Instead of honoring God with the suffering, we make it about our self-sufficiency and positive attitude. 

We take our eyes off Jesus and run into despair.  We allow our thought-life to take over and we ruminate on our circumstances and declare we are “Done!”  We choose self over God, death to convictions instead of life with Christ.

How could I possibly know this?  Well, considering I have had almost 10 years combined with affliction and suffering, I understand, I have been there.  I know.  I never knew God would heal me – and He did.  Twice.  But, I never knew there would be an end.

I had to choose every day, every moment, every minute to honor Christ.  Did I succeed?  Not always.  Some times were rough.  My pillow got drenched with tears.  The many, many sleepless nights, the wheelchair, the isolation in my room for over a year, the upheaval of the life I knew before.  I had a choice to either ride the fence, pop on the dark side, or follow Jesus.

I had to lead my heart because my heart is fickle, cannot be trusted on its own and is willing to take the path with least resistance, less traveled.  Which all lead to a lukewarm life.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action: be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”  1 Peter 1:13-16  NIV

Let us purpose in our hearts, set our minds for action, get off the fence and choose life.  Choose Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).  Come what may.

PRAYER

Father, thank You for showing me the different sides of the fence, spelling out where each leads and giving me the choice. I choose You. I choose to follow You even if I do not know it all. I choose to be all in, hot - not lukewarm, for You. I want to honor You in all things. Until You call me home.