DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Turn Up the Heat!
by Judy Webb
“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)
The Voice version of this text reads: because you are neither cold with apathy not hot with passion…
Lukewarm: useless to Christ because of complacency and indifference. So, it isn’t wise to claim the middle of the road as a resting place. Sitting on the fence could cause us to topple over, and strong wind or fence shaking could prove disastrous.
My small group is studying the Book of Esther, a story of mounds of courage and piles of determination, but not before a mountain of fence-sitting. Esther had a lukewarm heart, a shy personality along with a weak belief in her Jewish ancestry. She momentarily forgot the battles her ancestors fought; the freedom they grasped after being rescued from slavery in Egypt to a promised land of freedom.
Esther, a poor orphan, was taken in by her Uncle Mordecai. As a beautiful young woman, she had the opportunity to leave poverty and join the world of royalty, rich royalty that grossly flaunted its riches. They were wasteful, reclining on couches of gold and silver; they ate and drank with no restrictions.
Esther’s survival instincts were strong, though a lukewarm Jew. She hid in the shadows, keeping her heritage secret to safeguard her life. Until one day she was forced to take a stand, to acknowledge her heritage and jump down off that fence and boldly take her place in history. At that moment, she went from lukewarm, to on fire for her people and her actions saved a nation.
So, where does that leave you and me? Have we also been brought to our place in the world “for such a time as this?” I believe so. When we live a safe life, if we never take a stand, or speak up for right in a world that reveres wrong; we are lukewarm. What Jesus wants to change is our middle of the road walk. A lukewarm Christian has enough of Jesus to satisfy a craving for religion, but not enough for eternal life.
A lukewarm Christian hasn’t learned the value of generosity, doesn’t understand that we are to share our wealth and our faith. Just look around and discern what God is telling you or asking you to do. Take a stand, lend a hand, share your story, then hop off the fence and heat up the room!
PRAYER PRACTICE
Dear Jesus,
Sometimes we need a wake-up call. It is likely that our world desperately needs Christians to be bold and take a stand for what is right, and call out what is wrong. Come Holy Spirit, light a fire under us today. Amen.
