Lukewarm??

I don't like lukewarm anything, especially bacon. I went to a breakfast buffet this week and the bacon was limp. I pointed this out to the waitress and said, "this is not bacon, it's still pig!" The Bible tells us that God does not tolerate lukewarm believers - he promises to spit them out! (Revelation 3: 14-22)  While at the beach last week, I stepped on a catfish and its sail fin pierced my foot. The pain was terrible, the blood was running down my foot and I did not know what to do. A total stranger came over and checked on me. He went and got his first aid kit and doctored the  wound. He gave me Ibuprofen and then checked on me constantly through the day. He could have told me what I needed, given me the first aid kit and even promised to pray for me. But he was not a lukewarm Christian. He was radical, committed and really cared. He demonstrated God's love and I was convinced he truly cared for me and my needs. Too many Christians claim to love God and yet they are lukewarm, half-hearted and not committed to finish the race of faith. The problem is we trust too much in ourselves. This is really the problem in our present national dilemma. For too long we trusted in our banking account, our investments, our job, our government and in our plans and reams. Then the bottom fell out! Trusting in ourselves and things of this world always fails us. Yet the grace of God never fails us. People who trust in themselves clinch their fists, they hold onto their love, their money, time and energy out of fear that they will run out. When we give our hearts totally to Christ and place our trust in Almighty God we open our hands to the world, we share our resources, we reach out in love to our neighbors.

I don't want to stand before Jesus and hope that lukewarm faith is enough. (I know it's really not!) I want to go the distance and hear those longed for words, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of my kingdom prepared for you!" I hope you desire the same. You are loved.