Lukewarm Laodicea (Daily Devotional)

Greetings and welcome to Living Supernaturally. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to spend a few moments in God’s word and in prayer. Today, we will be talking about lukewarm Laodicea. Revelations chapter 3, verses 15 and 16, talking to church in Laodicea, Jesus says, ‘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.’ The church in Laodicea had a big problem, because of their lukewarm attitude that caused less than an effective ministry. Jesus warned them that He was about to spit them out of His mouth. They had bank accounts filled with money, tempting their eyes to turn away from Jesus towards only themselves but that made them wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked in Jesus’s eyes. But Jesus didn’t shut the door on them but He offered wise advice. He advised them to find true wealth in Him and to obtain the pure, white garments of righteousness rather than the black world garments that Laodicea was originally famous for. Money itself is not the problem, but trusting in money instead of Jesus will bring ruin. Jesus’s letter to the church at Laodicea is striking. He has nothing positive to say about this church but He does graciously warn them and call them to repentance saying, those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Here Jesus names Himself the ‘Amen’ which means ‘so be it’. In other words, Jesus is the true one and what He says is trustworthy and a true saying. When He speaks, so be it, He is the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. Jesus rebukes the Laodicean church for its ineffective ministry. The cold mountain water of Colosse, 10 miles away and the hot water of Herepolis, 6 miles away, both served the people of Laodicea well. Cold water refreshes and hot water heals but Laodicea didn’t have natural water source. So, when either the cold or hot made it to them, it was lukewarm and not beneficial. Jesus used this local situation to describe the ministry of the church, it is neither refreshed nor healed. Jesus wished for the church to be either refreshing or effective. These words were harsh but needed. The Spirit calls us to search our hearts too. Christ called them to repent and live zealously. The Lord Jesus issues the same call to those who follow Him today. Let us thank God, He never leaves us but He always disciplines us with love. Let’s pray, Father, we thank you for your word and your promise. Even when we go astray and are lukewarm, your loving discipline corrects us and brings us back on track. Help us to learn to receive your discipline, to change our ways, we trust you and we thank you that you are in complete control, in Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

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