I just got a new cell phone b/c I was eligible for an upgrade. Not only was I eligible for a new phone but I was in desperate need of one b/c some how at some point my old phone had obtained some water damage. I don't know how this happened b/c I am very protective of my phone. So needless to say, I was very annoyed that my phone was damaged b/c I couldn't hear people or they couldn't here me, my texts weren't going through or it was sending duplicate texts, and I found myself feeling some what disconnected not being able to communicate. So, my eligibility for an upgrade came at the right time.
There are a lot of times when we need to upgrade our lives and I would say that most of us are very desperate and very eligible. First, I don't mean that we need to buy some new "thing" to make us feel good. We don't need to spend our time and energy pursuing status, recognition, and the favor of people so that we can have some kind of meaning in our lives. That "stuff" will only leave us more empty than we were before.
What I mean by upgrading our lives is that we need to get rid of the old life we are living and live the life God made us for. In John 10:10, Jesus said, "The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
There is one who has come steal away our joy, kill our relationship w/ God, and destroy our relationships w/ our families. But Jesus comes to give us a full life. This isn't the get rich quick or feel good gospel either. This is a life for those who are in Jesus, who know him, and are free from sin, guilt, and shame. Its for those who want Jesus as their shepherd, master, teacher, friend and will follow him where ever he leads.
Yet, I believe that most of us aren't living the full life Jesus made us for. I see us sometimes just going through the motions in our lives, living day to day in our routines, and have become stagnant and complacent. We find ourselves living w/out purpose or meaning. We find ourselves bored and apathetic. We find ourselves drifting away from what God wants for our lives. We find ourselves complaining and being ungrateful for what we have. And we find ourselves sitting in worship just singing along, taking communion, giving our money, distracted while praying, and tuning out the preacher. And b/c of this, we find ourselves, like me w/ my phone: damaged and disconnected.
Jesus has a word for this type of living. He called it being "lukewarm" when he addressed the church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:16a). The problem w/ the church there was they thought that b/c they were so rich and wealthy they didn't need anything (v. 17). And b/c of this Jesus says, "I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (v. 16b).
There is something that God finds disgusting when we live "lukewarm" lives. There is something he finds repulsive when are stagnant, complacent, and just going through the motions. And when it comes to the way we treat worship it angers him when, "These people (this would be us) come near to me w/ their mouth and honor me w/ their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Is. 29:13).
Perhaps this is where you are and believe me, I've been there too. If this is the case, then we are long over due for an upgrade of our hearts. God doesn't want people who claim to follow Jesus, living "lukewarm" lives. He wants our hearts b/c only when He has it, will our worship be acceptable to Him. Only then will we have a sense of purpose, focus, and mission. And only then will we be so connected to God that we will begin to live the full life, he died for us to live.
BW
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