¹⁴ “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. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth . . . ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ 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. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:14-16, 19-22)

Lukewarm water. Comfortable to touch but not warm enough to cleanse and purify. Bacteria can still be present in the dishwasher with lukewarm water. Sickness may result from using these dishes or utensils that have been washed in this water.

Lukewarm Christian. Neither hot nor cold. Without passion. Possibly doing the job but not on fire for the Lord. Maybe acting from duty without but not love from within. The Lord said, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of My mouth.” A harsh rebuke from the One who loves us enough to discipline and urge us to “be earnest and repent.”

Lukewarm faith: Love without utmost awe and adoration of the Divine Lord, the One and True God.

Revelation 2:4 NIV translation:“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” Good News translation: “But this is what I have against you: you do not love Me now as you did at first.”

Lukewarm church: Have we tested the water? What temperature would we find inside each one of us for the Lord? Are we fervent in love for the Lord? Are we sincerely ardent in our faith? Are we wholly dedicated and devoted to Him– and Him alone?

¹⁹ “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ 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.”

Temperature taken: LUKEWARM—Neither Hot nor Cold but LOST.

They-We-I didn’t hear His voice and never opened the door. *********************************************

When I was baptized, the water was very HOT.  I remember my feet burning. It felt like I was going through some form of fire to scorch away my sins. Relief came when I arose from the water to a “comfortable” room temperature. What I felt in the water was not lukewarm. I felt the Lord’s presence more in the discomfort than in the comfort. I was opening the door while immersed in that water and saw His face as that of my Savior.

Perhaps we need the cold and hot times in our lives to truly seek the Lord, open the door, and find Him there—waiting. We must not be lukewarm in our love, faith, and walk with the Lord but, instead, be fervent, ardent, dedicated, and devoted to Him alone.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 06/24/18) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word