Hot or Cold

We were invited out to dinner at our friends’ house yesterday.
It has been cold here the last while but pleasantly so, the air crisp and fresh and a delight to breath. But last night it was bitingly cold with a wind to drive it through your bones.
We just caught our breath and rushed from car to house and from house to car. No loitering or looking around … just a mad dash with head down – focused on getting out of the cold.

I thought of the opposite extreme when the sun is unbearably hot. Again people are focused on getting out of the heat… and finding a cool spot in the shade or preferably near water.

I was reminded of the verse in Rev. 3:15, 16 where Jesus says, “I could wish we were cold or hot, but because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, will I spew you out of My mouth.”

A person who is cold or hot is very easily motivated to move from his uncomfortable position. In fact he is quite focused on movement.
I was thinking of how the longsuffering of God, motivated by His desire that all men should be saved, brings ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ applications to our lives for the purpose of moving us toward Him.
Often the things that make us uncomfortable are the things that spur us toward change. It is our choice whether the changes are good or not, but our attention has been alerted, the opportunity has been presented.

Lukewarm is like a pacifier. It makes us lazy, happy to stay where we are, unmotivated and unwilling to give up our half-asleep ease in our comfort chair. It makes us unaware of our need, unaware of our spiritual lack and the fact that our ‘chair’ is drifting out to sea.

Have you checked lately if you are hot or cold? Are you rushing toward the shelter of God’s arms to find the security, the answers you need? Is God your focus? And pleasing Him your delight?
Or are you lukewarm, sitting in your easy chair, drifting along, happy with your own answers and doing that which is right in your own eyes?

Rom. 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

Ps. 18:30 “As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is proven, He is a shield to all those that trust in Him.”