The following illustration comes from personal experience, I assure you. You tea drinkers might be able to relate quite easily. Here's the picture:
You get a hankering for a cup of tea. So, you put the tea kettle on. While the water boils, you make your tea selection and put the teabag or strainer into your teacup or mug. So far, so good. The water's piping hot, so you pour it into your cup and savor the therapeutic smell, maybe take a sip, and then....something catches your attention. You set your cup down and go attend to it. After that is taken care of, something else pops up to take it's place, and so on. By the time you find your forgotten cup of tea at the end of the day, it's stone cold; lukewarm at best.
Ever had a cold tea experience? I often laugh that I've forgotten what hot tea tastes like. And the funny thing is, it never happens just once, oh no. Because the fact is, no matter what kind of day we are having, there is always some form of distraction to call our attention elsewhere.
Well today, as I was musing over my cup of cold tea, I began to think of the similarities between the cold tea experience and the cold spiritual life experience. Think on it for a minute.
Your day, week, month, or year might be going along just wonderfully. You've gotten into a regular Bible reading schedule, your prayer life is strong, and you have an overwhelming feeling that you are really loved by God, which causes your heart to swell with love for Him in return. It's like a savory cup of tea.
Yet in a moment, it can all change. You get a call that informs you of a death of a dear friend. You lose your job. Your relationship with a parent, sibling, or child isn't all that it could be. Your home is destroyed by a natural disaster. Or maybe it's just the Enemy who places a seed of doubt in your mind about your salvation and worth before God. Whatever it is, whether big or relatively small, it's a distraction, and before you know it, you've got cold tea.
Your spiritual life is no longer hot and passionate. You aren't boiling over with love, praise, and thanksgiving. You're depressed, sad, pouting. Of course you still believe in God, but your relationship isn't the same. You have become distracted from what really matters. Things have become chilly.
And how does God feel about such an attitude? Well, I'm afraid that He has some pretty strong words to say on the topic.
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
~Revelation 3:15-16
So apparently, God finds half hearted lip service more revolting then complete indifference! There's a slap in the face. What then is to be done? The answer can be found in the next verses.
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
~Revelation 3:19-20
God does not expect us to deal with our own lukewarmness. It could never be done. All He asks is for us to open up the door of our hearts when He knocks. And knock He will, for as the apostle Paul said,
"...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
~Philippians 1:6
Praise be to God who will never leave us to or sorry selves....or our bland, chilly "tea". May we all pray that God would crank up the heat of our hearts that we may serve Him with a diligence and passion!
posted by Lydia
Not what my hands have done
Happy Birthday, Caroline! We love you so much. May God use this 18th year of your life to draw you closer to Himself. Thanks for being that best friend and confidant, and the sharer of our "most appalling secrets" ;-).
Lining up for the picture.
Mom , Dad, and me.
Commencement speaker, John Stonestreet
Diplomas!
Grammy, Poppy, and me
The lovely Ames ladies.
