Lukewarm

I've said it before... but I don't think I can say it enough. I love my church! Yesterday Pastor Paul talked about the parable of the sower. I'm sure you've heard it before... ya know the one where some of the seed falls on hard ground, some rocky ground, some thorny soil, and some good soil. I've heard it a thousand times before, but God word always has something new to offer us! I think the thing that stood out to me the most this time around was the purpose of parables. I mean, why did Jesus have to tell a little story, why couldn't He just say what He meant? My pastor said it this way, Jesus spoke in parables to either drive us closer or further away from God. If it drove us closer, than awesome! We would be pushed out of complacency and forced into action. If it drove us further away from God... well also awesome, because at that point we would have to start searching for God. Sometimes we have to be pushed further away to remind us of how much we really NEED Him. God doesn't need lukewarm, complacent, baby christians. Revelation 3:16 says, "So because you are lukewarm, neither hot or cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Over the summer, I was lukewarm. I was stuck in my comfort and complacency and I felt far from God. Finally I felt so alone, and so far from God that I realized I had to start taking action... whether I "felt" close to God or not. I got back to Lburg and I got more involved. In my church, in my community... just in general. I started spending more time reading my bible, more time talking to God, and more time with people that would/could keep me accountable. And before I knew it, my fire was back... and the luke warm was gone. Before I could be on fire again, God had to remind me of how terrible things are when I'm not close to Him. He reminded me that when I'm trying to find my joy in other things I'm setting myself up for a fall. Being lukewarm doesn't please God. You won't get a "well done my good and faithful child" just for going to church on Sunday morning and being a pretty good person. God wants, and expects more from us than that. Nothing of significance is done for the kingdom by being comfortable.