Wednesday, December 7, 2011 - Mixed Signals

"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 

Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, 

so that you may know how you should answer each person."  

Colossians 4:5-6

I fell asleep smiling last night watching the snow falling in the backyard and we woke up to find our oasis  covered.  A tiki torch with snow on top is a odd sight, and the snow covered lounge chairs gave me the same strange feeling I get every time I see Meret Oppenheim's sculpture "Fur Cup." Neither can be used for its purpose, as is.
     

It's the same feeling Jesus described when He told the Laodicean Christians: "I know your works, 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 am going to vomit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:15-16   These are strong, negative words coming from our loving Savior. When do we make Him feel like vomiting?  Are we guilty of saying,"God loves you!" and then offering the cold shoulder of apathy or selfishness?  Are the cups of cold water we offer in Jesus' Name refreshing and pure or filled with distasteful condescension, pride, and "now you  owe me?"   When we try to mix Christ's teachings with our sinful habits, we're no more inviting than useless ice covered lounge chairs and fur-lined cups, neither refreshing nor warming. "Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth." (Col. 3:2)"But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator." (Col. 3:8-10)Lord, God, forgive us for trying to hold on to fur lining when You want to use us to warm other people.  Forgive us for riding the fence to stay comfortable with the world when You've called us out of the world.  Thank You for not leaving us "as is" but molding us into useful vessels in Your Hands.  Help us throw ourselves wholeheartedly into Your purpose for our lives.  Guide us to let go of every bad habit that detracts from what You've designed us to do. Forgive us when we make You sick with our compromises.  Be patient with us and flow through us, cleansing us and filling us. In the Name of Jesus, in Whose life our lives are hidden