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. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Revelation 3:15-18
“The best for God: a worship replete with generosity – generosity in the elements that are used as well as in the giving of our time, and here it should be no more than the time required, without hurrying or shortening ceremonies… Lukewarmness, a feeble cold-hearted faith, would mean that we were not treating holy things in a holy way. We would be losing sight of the glory, honor, and majesty that correspond to the blessed Trinity… Our Lord should also be able to say of the dedication of our lives to Him, and of the generosity we can show in hundreds of ways (in time and in goods): he has acted well towards me, he has shown his love in deeds.”
Francis Fernandez in In Conversation with God: Meditations for Each Day of the Year, volume 3 (London: Scepter, 1990) 321-322.
Fernandez contrasts a worship replete with generosity to “lukewarmness, a feeble cold-hearted faith” that has forgotten its purpose. I needed to hear this today.
The part that stung me was when he said, “without hurrying or shortening ceremonies.” Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, I am guilty of that.
I enjoyed a restful weekend at home with my wife and then needed to pivot to Eastern Europe for strategic meetings and to take supplies to a new GTP staff member.
When you read this I will be somewhere between Frankfurt and Austria with meetings in four countries in four days. We are not hurrying but not wasting time either.
I am thankful my old computer is working in the wake of my computer challenges last week. It derailed me not to post meditations for three days and have that rhythm with the Lord. I feel back on track but want to ask about you.
Are you giving God your best? Is your worship replete with generosity? Or are you lukewarm today? Only you can answer these questions. I pray the post helps you reset.