In love with Love

So I've been talking a lot lately about being a lukewarm Christian.  And, if you're anything like me, you were probably convicted by some of the stuff that I said.  But if you're anything like me, you were probably also left scratching your head and perhaps even more than a little bit nervous.

OK, so I'm a lukewarm Christian...now what??  So I know that I don't read the Bible like I should...how do I fix that??  The whole reason that we're lukewarm is because we're not in love with God like He wants us to be.  But how do we fall in love with Him?  We can't just wake up one day and decide, "ok, I love Jesus now!"  And no matter how long we force ourselves to pray, how often we try to read the Bible, it just doesn't feel...real.  Does that sound familiar?  I was talking about my own life, but I'm sure that many of you could also relate to those feelings of distance and discouragement.

But the key to loving God is not forcing yourself to do the right things.  It's not cleaning up your act on your own, and hoping that that will be enough to make you love Him.  Falling in love with Jesus has nothing to do with trying harder.  It is, in fact, just the opposite.  It has nothing to do with you earning God's love, and everything to do with just accepting it.

God loves you now, just as you are - with all of your faults, flaws, and shortcomings.  He has loved you since before you were born, and He wants nothing more than to romance Him.  All you have to do is to let Him.  He says that He is standing outside, just waiting for us to let Him in.  Ohhh, how He wants to come in.

So start small.  Don't assume that you will become a mighty prayer warrior overnight.  But say a few words to Him every day.  The more you talk to Him, the more you'll hear Him; the more you hear Him, the more you'll love Him; and the more you love Him, the more you will want to talk to Him.  It's a beautiful cycle.  It may seem daunting at first; but God is love, and He will not disappoint.  So go ahead, take the plunge!  Start a conversation with God today, and starting falling in love with Love.

Revelation 3:19-22

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

   ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Lukewarm Christianity

I have heard the term "lukewarm Christians" tossed around so often throughout my years growing up in the church.  It's always used in a negative light, often quoting the verse in Revelation 3, in which God warns that He will spit the lukewarm people out of his mouth.  But I think that, over the years and even decades, many Christians - especially western Christians - have lost sight of just what that term "lukewarm" really means.

Have you ever drank something so disgusting, that you simply could not swallow it?  Something so revolting, that you simply had to spit it out of your mouth?  That's the image that Jesus is giving us.  Being lukewarm disgusts Jesus.  It's revolting.  It repulses Him.

I have found that I often fall prey to the guiles of Satan.  It is so easy to convince myself that I'm doing alright - that, although I may not be as sold out to Jesus I could be, I'm doing much better than most.  Of course there's always room for improvement, but overall I'm doing generally pretty well.

God hates that attitude.  He hates it.  He cannot even bear to tolerate it.  He does not have an attitude of "well, I wish you'd love me more, but it's ok if you can't.  I understand, you're very busy and have other obligations."  God's attitude is one of "I am everything to you, and I demand everything of you.  Anything less than that is revolting to me."  He would rather we not even claim Christianity, not even make an attempt at loving Him, than to do so half-heartedly.

What does this mean?  It means that we value God above our jobs.  Above our spouses and children.  Above our hobbies.  Above our volunteer work.  Above our studies.  Above our friends.  Above everything.  It means that we love the people around us - not just our families, but also even the people whom many would deem "unloveable."  It means that we put loving God and loving others above our finances, above our comfort, above our reputation.  It means that God must become not only a part of our life; God is our life.

It also means that everyone will fail to do this, in one way or another.  We are all human.  We cannot achieve the standard that God has set for us.  But when you do fail, when you see yourself becoming lukewarm or getting stuck in a rut, don't let Satan accuse you or get you down.  The Lord is patient with you, always willing to forgive.  And remember, that He disciplines those He loves.  So when you are rebuked because of your lack of whole-heartedness, rejoice.  God still loves you.  He wants you to have freedom in Him, not bondage in mediocrity.  So pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and begin once again the journey to make Jesus your life - your whole life, not just a piece of it.

Revelation 3:14-18

¹⁴ “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.¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.