As I was preparing myself to take a shower this morning and as I was gathering my favorite toiletries I was just letting my thoughts rejoice in the splendor of my Savior. I turned on the shower and just stared and was enjoying the relaxing feeling of the running water. So as I pondered on it, I first looked at it in the natural….
We, as humans daily cleansing is essential for our health that benefits us and others around us. We all have our favorite shampoos/conditioners and body wash, because that helps us to cleanse and refresh our bodies. We monitor also the temperature of the water, some of us like it lukewarm, hot or even cold, some of us take longer in the shower than others, but regardless of what we use and how long we take in the shower, it is part of life that we all keep our bodies clean.
So let me continue to explain how I saw in the spiritual…..
As I positioned myself under the running water, I envision how my sins were washed away, as the shampoo and soapy latter was being removed by the running water from my body, that is how JESUS removed my sins, my transgression, my impurities when he gave his life in the cross, how the blood and water gushed out of his side to cleans away the sins of my life and into the deepest hole of the forgotten sins!! MY GOD!! He never seems to amaze me. Here I am as I am writing this, feeling this amazing connection with my LORD and SAVIOR. My heart filled with so much gratitude, to experience his overflowing love that ushers me to his presence, bowing down at his feet with words of praises to MY Redeemer!! MY Savior!!
Let me continue as how I see it….. it is a necessity and a must to shower everyday, that is how it is also a necessity and a must for us everyday to get into the presence of our Lord and allow him to pour in us HIS living water which for me is ; his HOLY Presence and “WORD OF GOD” who cleanses, refreshes, renews, restores, revives, reveals, refills and rebukes us with his amazing, grace, peace, forgiveness, mercy and most important of all which is HIS LOVE!! The longer we soak in His WORD (bible) and in his presence, the more cleaner and refreshed we become.
But unfortunately too many of us can become lukewarm, hot or cold. So, given the opposite natures of hot and cold, and the description of what lukewarm looks like, I’m going to have to go with my first understanding on this.
1. When you are “Hot” for God you are filled with zeal to do his will. You want to “make his praise glorious.” You want to tell people about our great God and the wonderful promises he has made for his people. His love and his power are evident in your life. Some people will see and long for what you have. Your joy will be obvious to them. They will notice that your life has been transformed. They will, “see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Other people, who have been blinded by Satan may just think you are some religious fanatic, but it will still be obvious that you are different. You don’t delight in sin “your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing” {2 Thessalonians 1:3}.
2. If you are “cold” towards God, like a huge portion of the world is, you will take no thought of him. You may not even believe that God exist. You will live your life according to the standard of this world. You will judge yourself as good or bad by comparing yourself to other people. When people observe you they will take no thought of God or his kingdom “he who sent me is true. You do not know [God], but I know him because I am from him and he sent me” {John 7:28-29}.
3. But if you are lukewarm, you will tell people that you are a Christian. You will probably attend church, maybe even faithfully. But you won’t have Christ in your heart, not really. You will still identify yourself with the community of believers, but your heart is no way captivated by God, because your life won’t show it. You will be a “Sunday Christian”, singing the songs on Sunday morning and living like the rest of the world as soon as you walk out the door 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” {Revelation 3:15-16}
Sometimes we can drift away from God without even realizing it. It’s easy to drift. It takes no effort. That’s what often happens in human relationships. People slowly drift apart. God doesn’t want us to be lukewarm. He doesn’t want us to drift away from Him. He wants us to pursue a relationship with Him that grows stronger and deeper each day. “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” {Hebrews 2:1}. And he also tells us …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 him, and he with me” {Revelation 3:20}
As believers, we constantly need to have spiritual, emotional heat added to our walk with the Lord, or we will become lukewarm. We need a constant infilling of His presence. A constant love relationship~~ Constant prayer~~ Constant worship~~ Constant renewing of our minds with the Word of God. Otherwise, we rapidly become only lukewarm Christians. I see lukewarm people who are unable to accomplish anything for the Lord. Are you going to be satisfied with being lukewarm, and risk losing everything?
Father God, we ask you to shine the light of your spirit into our hearts. Reveal truths to us regarding our temperature and where we stand with you. We want to be on fire with the truth of your word but admit that many times things come into our life’s that extinguish the flames. Relight our Fire
Written by Maribel Castillo
No comments:
Post a Comment