Saturday, June 24, 2006
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
(Rev 3:16)
"That's good enough." "What difference does it make?" "It'll all work out somehow." We have all heard the language of the mediocre. It is the dialect of the lazy, vision less Christian who is content with just doing enough to "get by." This person's lives by the motto: "No pain, no pain." In 2 Kings 13 Joash went to Elisha and was told by the dying prophet to smite the ground with arrows in a symbolic posture of the coming war with Syria. King Joash hit the ground a meager three times and quit. Elisha became indignant at Joash's lack of passion, and reprimanded him for his "good enough" attitude. Joash's lethargic response to the man of God is indicative of many today who put forth a half-hearted effort into living the victorious Christian life. They want blessing without blood, sweetness without sweat, and talent without tears. Joash hoped that Elisha would say some "magic" words and the victory would be won without any real effort. The heart of God is won by Christians who posses a spirit of excellence and who are not satisfied with lukewarm lifestyle. Men like Nehemiah, who are not content to sit by and hope that someone else will take charge and get the job done and women who are willing to break the alabaster box in consecration to God. The warnings in scripture are clear. Jesus said he would vomit (spue) the Laodiceans out of his mouth because they were not hot or cold. They were somewhere in the comfortable middle of the road where there is neither victory nor defeat; neither a passion nor a purpose. It's a place where many find themselves today, living out the colorless life of self-preservation. Satisfied with the mediocre.
posted by Steve Stevens at
8:41 PM
