"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. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 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 3:15-20
I pounded my feet along the sidewalks in my neighborhood...down in front of the rows of apartments and houses...past the pool and the tennis courts and the biggest bird house I've ever seen...through the gazebo and down the steps to a little bench that overlooked the lake in the moonlight. I clutched my bible in my hand, opened to 1 Corinthians 3, which had I started reading on my porch, but my anger burned so strongly, I had to just walk, tears streaming down my face.
"...neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." How thankful I really am for this. I don't want that responsibility. But, the Lord has burdened my heart to plant and water. And this anger has grown inside of me because of the state of our hearts. Where are our affections held? What is captivating us? What is consuming us?
As much as we'd like each other to believe, it's not God. And yes, I am speaking in broad generalities. Don't take offense, but please, take this to heart. Examine yourselves! "Be zealous and repent"! Do you really want to be that which the Lord vomits out of His mouth? He would rather you be COLD. Do you hear that?
The thing that gets me the most out of this is His overwhelming love and MERCY. In His disgust He counsels us to come to Him for riches, clothing and sight (the spiritual kind). He rebukes us because of His love. He waits for us to invite Him in. He longs to fellowship with us.
I want that. I want to be on fire. I want to dine with the Lord. I want in on what He is doing! Do you?
First, yay -- thanks for the follow Ann. I'm returning the favor. :o)
ReplyDeleteSecond, that big honkin' birdhouse is named in Betty Lou's honor (lol). Seriously. Because Omer has a gazebo out there ... the birdhouse is BL's.
Third, I completely understand what you're saying. I shudder to think of myself ever being cold or lukewarm. At the same time, sometimes I feel like my stomach wants to be my god. My flesh screams. I scream.
Thank you for making us check our hearts.
Blessings!
Beth