DAY 15

In the last letter to the churches, the one to Laodicea, we find the phrase “lukewarm.” This has often been preached as a message that we need to be “on fire” for God or cold unbelievers. But that doesn’t even make sense does it? When you see that Jesus says in that letter that He wishes we were one or the other, it doesn’t make sense for Jesus to wish that we were cold unbelievers.

Revelation 3:15-16 “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.”

This is where knowing the historical context and geographical information comes in to clear up the misunderstanding. Laodicea did not have a good water supply, it had to be piped via viaduct over some distance, and this means that by the time it reached them it was lukewarm.

However, one of their nearby towns had hot springs to which many people came for healing. Another of their neighboring towns had cold springs which were refreshing. So people went to those towns for healing or refreshing but not to Laodicea because it had neither of those to offer. The people of the church at Laodicea would have understood this example.

Jesus needs us to be the place others can come for refreshing or healing, what good are we if we are a lukewarm church? He wishes we were one or the other.

The questions to answer today determine where you stand on that temperature scale.

How are you being refreshing to someone in your life right now? How are you bringing healing to someone in your life right now? How can you do this today?

Rather than letting this just bounce off of you today, take some time to let it sink in, pray about it and search yourself so that you can actually do it. It might be worth making a list of how you can be those things to the people near you in your life but also those you could reach out to as you go about your day.

Jesus, forgive me for the things I have let into my life that make me lukewarm. Help me to spend time with you as the source of healing and refreshing and help me to find practical ways that I can be those things to the people in my life. Remind me when I am out and about to be looking for ways to be healing and refreshing to those whose paths I cross. Thank you for your grace and love which refresh and heal me.