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. 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 3:14-16
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep,
but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk
or a snooze in the sunshine…
I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
— Wilbur Rees
Today we are looking at apathy. The Laodiceans were accused of this—they were neither hot nor cold. Just tepid. They simply did not care.
The nearby city of Hieropolis had hot springs people soaked in for healing. Another nearby city, Colosse, had cool, refreshing water that came out of the mountains. Spiritually, it was good to be hot and healing or cool and refreshing.
The water in Laodicea was lukewarm, full of minerals, and tasted terrible. It matched their faith. They were ambivalent. Jesus was not as much their Lord and Savior as he was an ornament. It would be like having a Bible on your coffee table not because you read it but because it fits your décor.
Are you apathetic about your faith? Do you want to grow closer to Christ, knowing you may need to make bold changes when he reveals sin? Or do you find you do not care? Is God the center of your life, or does He fit in with your décor?
Come before God and ask Him, and do not be afraid to repent. When God reveals sin, He wants us to come to Him and repent and be cleansed. He wants us to be transformed, not embarrassed.
To Think/Pray About Today
Prayer: Lord God, I repent of apathy. I repent of not caring about my faith, about whether I grow or just stay the same. Forgive me, and re-ignite my faith. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Cedarville University
Cedarville United Presbyterian Church 