Hot or Cold?

By Jeremiah Gruenberg August 2nd, 2010


Think about lukewarm coffee. How would you describe it?

Disgusting. Distasteful. Undesirable.

That’s how God feels about you being lukewarm.

“​​’I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; ​​I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will ​​spit you out of My mouth.’” (Revelation 3:15-16)

God is a pretty interesting fellow, and I’m always appreciative when the Bible helps me understand His personality a little better. Like any other being, God has likes and dislikes. Here we realize that He likes depth, passion, and commitment. He doesn’t like indecisiveness. Why? Because then He has no ability to relate to you. Why? Because you haven’t made a choice. Let me give you a wonderfully stupid example about what I mean here.

If someone asks me to see a movie with them, but are indecisive about which one they are going to see, I don’t know how to respond to their invitation! It truly does not matter to me what movie they would choose (be hot or cold), I just can’t say yes unless I know what I’m saying yes to. Christ takes this whole concept further:

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not ​​mourn.’’” (Matthew 11:16-17)

Christ is presenting options. Do you want to dance? Do you want to be sad? He’ll take either one and minister to you in it, but the worst thing you can do is be passive and noncommittal.

So when you face choices in your life, don’t be lukewarm. Yes, you should weigh your options and search your heart before you jump into anything, but be sure to actually make a choice. Be hot or be cold. Then God can work with you. But if you don’t make a choice, you are like lukewarm coffee.

What do you do with lukewarm coffee?

Nothing.