3:16

Like so many of us, my life changed dramatically when my family broke apart at a young age. I was separated from most of my family, living through frequent school changes and moves, in and out of the country, for three years; and then I just went into rebellion at fifteen.

But, just before my ninth move, I came into possession of a “The Way” Bible and I remember sincerely seeking God and Truth within its pages before being uprooted, yet again. It was a very chaotic time of my life, but one verse stayed with me; like a Tether to the Truth, as I spiraled in and out of a dysfunctional life masquerading as normal to survive. I was used, abused, rejected, betrayed, abandoned, you name it, but in God’s Amazing Grace, He gave me opportunities to find Him in some of the people He put along my way and the Power of His Word kept me from falling too far.

Revelation 3:16 is one of those verses that sticks to us like the sting after a Swift, Spiritual Slap and it wakes us up from comfortable, lukewarm laziness. The verses before and after are equally assaulting to our sensitivities and they really reinforce the overall message of making a determined choice or risk becoming repulsive to Jesus. He was speaking to the lukewarm Church of Laodicea when He said, in Revelation 3:15-17:

15”I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!

16So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

17You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”

The Laodicean church was located in an area which had no natural spring or source of fresh water. The water had to be piped in by aqueduct, so it was always lukewarm, and never refreshing or soothing. Have you ever turned on the tap water on a hot day? It’s not cold at all! Jesus used the analogy demonstrating the spiritual worthlessness of the church by equating it to the sickening of drinking lukewarm, standing water. It nauseates our Savior when we allow ourselves to remain in the middle, undecided.

That Scripture, that was planted in me during a time of sustained chaos and confusion, led me to ask for help from a Christian Counselor instead of committing suicide when my life eventually spun out after another betrayal and eventual despair. It was a Biblical seed that was like a “Truth Sign” that kept me from drifting too far into the wrong lane. There is NO safety by remaining “undecided” and lukewarm, where the water is unmoving and comfortable; that only leads to the cloudy waters of a stagnant life and impaired vision.

No matter what we go through in life, God’s Love is The Power that enables us to endure and thrive despite the inevitable fires of adversity when we live in gratitude. His Word is enduring and even just one verse for me was a Tether to the Truth that lit up my darkness and encouraged me not to give up. He can restore us to be vessels that will Hold His Love Hot while at the same time pouring it out upon the willing, to soothe wounds and manifest the Power of God’s Love in the world.

Lukewarm water will not refresh, nor will it soothe; it is just there, still and immobile; like the lukewarm church in Laodicea, in which Jesus’ Words clearly tell us He’d rather have us one way or the other or He will spit us out of His mouth; in other words, the spiritual laziness of the lukewarm church is offensive to Him.

If we have not yet made the Determined Choice to be one or the other, we are just slowly becoming stagnant and stale. Time is running out and the tepid waters of indecision will soon run dry and your choice will have been made. Not moving is a choice.

clm