What’s Worse Than Being Cold?

Recently we visited a Mexican restaurant and Elizabeth ordered tortilla soup.  She asked for the temperature to be as hot as possible.  She likes soup (and coffee and food) so hot that when we cook at home, I often pull my food off the heat before Elizabeth’s because she prefers her food so much hotter.

Elizabeth doesn’t prefer lukewarm.

Apparently, God has even stronger feelings about lukewarm that are revealed in this stunning statement in Revelation 3 from one of the letters to the seven churches (this letter is to the church of Laodicea).

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

God wants us to be on fire for Him.  No surprise.

God doesn’t want us to be cold in our faith.  No surprise.

God prefers someone to be cold in their faith than to be lukewarm in it?  Big surprise.

Why is that so?  Perhaps because lukewarm doesn’t inspire action like cold does.

How long does it take you to add a layer if you’re ‘comfortable enough’ vs. if you are cold?  How much motivation do you need to warm up cold coffee vs. lukewarm coffee that may be ‘warm enough’?

Our spiritual lives may be similar in that being lukewarm makes us feel ‘good enough’ about our spiritual lives that we don’t make changes to heat it up.

If you feel like your walk with Christ is lukewarm, what can you do to heat it up?

·      Plan…Bad things happen without planning.  That can be read two ways and both are right.  Proverbs 29:18 says without vision (plans), the people perish.  Make a specific plan that includes a time factor (e.g. as soon as I wake up, while I’m drinking my coffee) and specifics about what you will do to draw near to God (e.g. read the Proverb of the date, read 5 consecutive Psalms, pray the Lord’s Prayer and personalize each phrase).  Few good things happen without a plan.

·      Announce your plan…this is what James Clear refers to as “implementation intention” in his book Atomic Habits.  If you are a lukewarm Christian not spending regular time with God, telling someone you have a plan may be intimidating.  But here’s the tough love: if telling someone your plan would stop you, it may indicate you are more comfortable being a lukewarm Christian than you are with thinking someone may think less of you for not executing your plan.

There are exceptions and things out of our control that can impact our ongoing walk with Christ, but for most people, our spiritual lives are as hot as we want them to be.  Thankfully God has equipped us to take it to fully hot with His help.  He gives us the power and self-discipline and He works in us to have the desire and the ability to draw near to Him

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Phil 2:13

The same letter in Revelation referenced above to the church of Laodicea includes this encouragement after the statement about how God feels about lukewarmness:   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. Rev 3:20

2 Corinthians 13: 5 tells us to examine ourselves.  If you feel like your walk with Christ leans more toward lukewarm and you want to heat it up, what will you do about it?

“Let the Word of God into your soul, and it will inspire you, it cannot help it.” ― D.L. Moody,