New Passion for a New Year
I recently finished reading David Platt's book "Radical." If you've not read it, you need to. Be prepared though; it will challenge you to your core. Among the things that I gathered from the book was the reminder of the passion we need to have in our commitment to Christ. The Bible leaves no room for half-hearted Christianity.
As I prepared for my New Year's message this year, my attention was drawn to Revelation 3. The words are to the church at Laodicea, but are certainly fitting for us today...I thought I'd share some of it with you.
Most of us are familiar with the "lukewarm" part of the text; God doesn't want us lukewarm. The text says he would rather we be hot or cold. Obviously God doesn't want us to be cold, but have you thought recently about the fact that even a cold heart toward God is better than one that is lukewarm? Mull over that a little and argue with it in your mind for a while.
The part that challenged me freshly (and in light of Dr. Platt's book) was verse 17. "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." That sounds suspiciously like my life sometimes. How about yours? We tend to think that everything is fine and that we are doing well because we have a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. We have a decent home; a car or two and a little savings. We go to church regularly, and give (maybe even our tithe). But what is there beyond that, that distinguishes us from the religious pagan living down the street? The person outside of Christ may also have all those things (including church attendance and charitable giving). What about the sacrifice? What about the "hot" part of verse 16? What about the passion that ought to characterize followers of Jesus?
Maybe it's not a new passion for this new year; maybe it's a return to the passion that you had before and know in your gut that you need to have again. Forget about New Year's resolutions; let's just be passionate in our relationship with Jesus and in our service for him this year.
Happy New Year. May it be a fruitful one for the glory of God.
As I prepared for my New Year's message this year, my attention was drawn to Revelation 3. The words are to the church at Laodicea, but are certainly fitting for us today...I thought I'd share some of it with you.
Most of us are familiar with the "lukewarm" part of the text; God doesn't want us lukewarm. The text says he would rather we be hot or cold. Obviously God doesn't want us to be cold, but have you thought recently about the fact that even a cold heart toward God is better than one that is lukewarm? Mull over that a little and argue with it in your mind for a while.
The part that challenged me freshly (and in light of Dr. Platt's book) was verse 17. "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." That sounds suspiciously like my life sometimes. How about yours? We tend to think that everything is fine and that we are doing well because we have a reasonably comfortable lifestyle. We have a decent home; a car or two and a little savings. We go to church regularly, and give (maybe even our tithe). But what is there beyond that, that distinguishes us from the religious pagan living down the street? The person outside of Christ may also have all those things (including church attendance and charitable giving). What about the sacrifice? What about the "hot" part of verse 16? What about the passion that ought to characterize followers of Jesus?
Maybe it's not a new passion for this new year; maybe it's a return to the passion that you had before and know in your gut that you need to have again. Forget about New Year's resolutions; let's just be passionate in our relationship with Jesus and in our service for him this year.
Happy New Year. May it be a fruitful one for the glory of God.
Comments
Post a Comment