Iced tea or hot?

We love tea at our house. In the summer, various glass containers can be found strategically placed on our back deck...our own smorgasboard of sun teas. The homebrewed conncoctions are then added to tall glasses of ice creating a cold and refreshing beverage. In the winter, or even in these New England springs, nothing beats a hot cup of tea. Chilly fingers wrapped around a warm ceramic mug with steam cherrily rising from the warming liquid!

Imgaine a dreary, cold day. You snuggle onto the davenport, tugging an afgan up around your neck, curling your toes in thick fleece socks, reaching for your favorite book and then a aromatic cup of steaming tea. However, when you take a sip, it isn't hot, it isn't cold, it's that nasty flavor-killing, bland, room-temperature tea!

Or perhpas it's warm where you are living. You've been outside in the intense sunlight watching children splash in the pool, frolic through sprinklers, or perhaps pulling weeds from a row of crisnom red tomatoes - almost ready for harvesting. Your work done, your hands dirty, brow dripping with sweat, you walk towards your covered porch and gingerly ease your tired back into a white wicker rocking chair. Sitting next you is a tall glass of iced tea. The cooling drops of water condensed on the glass are rewarding to your fingertips. You move the coveted beverage towards your parched lips immensely anticipating the first taste. The glass reaches your mouth, you tip it back and your mouth is filled with warm, watered-down tea.

A lady you may be, but with such a disappointment to the tastebuds, even the most highly refined debutante might find herself immediately spewing the offending liquid from her mouth, over the porch railing and into the lilac bush!

All pleasing antecdotes aside, I hope this little quip brings to mind a very important verse from Revelations 3, Amplified Bible:

14And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of God's creation:(E)
15I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!
16So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!

Just as our iced tea was disposed of because it was not as it appeared, we are warned that Christians we be dealt with in a similar manner.

So what does it mean to be lukewarm as a Christian? I believe it is as simple as being on fire for God or not. Do not misunderstand, I"m not preaching perfection, but a desire of the heart. Just like the glass had the appearance of being cold on the outside, the actual contents revealed something entirely different. People may look on the outward - are we going to church, are we tithing, do we use Christian jargon, and advertise our Christianity with bumper stickers and t-shirts - but God looks into our hearts, our motives.

Think of the last thought you had, the last thing you spent money on, the last words you spoke to your children or husband. What do they reveal about your thoughts - your motives. Do they speak that you are hot or cold....or worse yet - Lukewarm?

May God in heaven guide us as we seek to glorify HIM!