Turn Up the Heat

<p>Temperatures where we live in Colorado can change quickly&mdash;sometimes within a few minutes. So my husband, Dan, was curious about the temperature differences in and around our home. As a fan of gadgets, he was excited to unpack his latest &ldquo;toy&rdquo;&mdash;a thermometer showing temperature readings from four &ldquo;zones&rdquo; around our house. Joking that it was a &ldquo;silly&rdquo; gadget, I was surprised to find myself frequently checking the temperatures, too. The differences inside and out fascinated me.</p> <p>Jesus used temperature to describe the &ldquo;lukewarm&rdquo; church in Laodicea, one of the richest of the seven cities cited in the book of Revelation. A bustling banking, clothing, and medical hub, the city was hampered by a poor water supply, so it needed an aqueduct to carry water from a hot springs. By the time the water arrived in Laodicea, however, it was neither hot nor cold.</p> <p>The church was tepid too. Jesus said, &ldquo;I know your deeds,&nbsp;that you are neither cold nor hot.&nbsp;I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm&mdash;neither hot nor cold&mdash;I am about to spit you out of my mouth&rdquo; (Revelation 3:15&ndash;16). As Christ explained, &ldquo;Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent&rdquo; (v. 19).</p> <p>Our Savior&rsquo;s plea remains urgent for us too. Are you spiritually neither hot nor cold? Accept His correction and ask Him to help you live an earnest, fired-up faith.</p>