Pondering this evening on the church at Laodicea, the church of apathetic, passive people in Revelation 3.
'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot ; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.'
Our pastor spoke about this church today, how it was neither hot nor cold. He explained that the Laodiceans understood this metaphor because the city drew hot water from the hot springs in nearby Hierapolis and cold water from nearby Colossae. After traveling the distance and then sitting awhile, both became lukewarm and not useful for their intended purposes. Hot water is therapeutic and cold water refreshes, but lukewarm water does neither. The church at Laodicea was lukewarm, neither restorative nor refreshing.
God didn't have anything good to say about this church. In fact, He said they made Him sick because they thought they had need of nothing. Their own pride blinded them to their true need of Jesus Christ Himself.
'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.'
They didn't know their need, but God did. He told them to come to Him.
'I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.'
Our need is always answered in Him.
'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.'
But what we notice as well is that God turns the spotlight on the individual members of the church. He says,
'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.'
The local church is made up of individual people who must open their own heart's door to communion with the Savior. This is the remedy He gives for spiritual apathy.
And so I ask myself, am I one of the apathetic ones in our church? Do I think I have no needs? (Oh, I know that I do!!) Do I desire His reproof and discipline that I would be drawn back to Him? Am I quick, even zealous, to repent of my sins, to be restored back to His fellowship? Do I abide in communion with Him? Are my thoughts filled with Him throughout the day? Do my deeds prove me passive or passionate for God and His Kingdom ways?
Do I make God sick,.... or do I make Him sing?
