– Revelation 3:16
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
The people in the Church at Laodicea were neither hot nor cold toward the Lord. Although they followed Him outwardly, their hearts had become distant from Him, so they didn’t have the work of the Holy Spirit. We all know that those who live before God always feel they are lacking too much, while those who have no work of the Holy Spirit think they are wealthy. If we fall into complacency like people in the churches at Laodicea, we won’t know our poverty and shortcomings, much less actively seek the truth to make up for our shortcomings. This state is loathsome to God. God says: “Do not be a passive follower of God, and do not pursue that which is curious. Through being neither cold nor hot you will forfeit yourself and delay your life. You must rid yourself of such passivity and inactivity, and become adept at pursuing positive things and overcoming your own weaknesses, so that you may gain the truth and live out the truth. There’s nothing fearful about your weaknesses, and your shortcomings are not your biggest problem. Your biggest problem, and your greatest shortcoming, is your being neither hot nor cold and your lack of desire to seek the truth. The biggest problem with all of you is a cowardly mentality whereby you are happy with things as they are, and await passively. This is your greatest obstacle, and the greatest enemy to your pursuit of the truth.”
God Looks at whether our hearts are in the presence of Him rather than our outwardly working hard, running around and expending. If we are satisfied with the current situation, make no attempt to progress, ignore the environment God arranges, then it will be our greatest obstacle to pursuing the truth and knowing God. Some time ago, I performed duty with a sister. we couldn’t get along well with each other for several months. At that time, I thought I was right because I could relate well to others except her, it was her fault. When I thought this way, I neither sought God’s will nor learned lessons. Later, the Holy Spirit didn’t work with me. And I lived in a state of complacency and self-appreciation, becoming unaware. After a period of time, the sister took the initiative to open her heart to me and admitted her fault. She told me that how she sought the truth, prayed to God and asked Him to enlighten her, and how she knew herself. After hearing that, I was shamed and humiliated and no longer thought I was right, because during this process, I didn’t gain the truth nor did I understand God’s will but rejected the environment God arranged, and also rejected the opportunity to gain the truth. Only then, did I come to know what was the meaning of “neither cold nor hot.” Thanks be to God!