Lukewarmness
The Lord said, Because this people draw near [to me], and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught [them];therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. — Isaiah 29:13-14
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. — Revelation 3:15
Author
Milagros García Klibansky
Summary: In the face of concern about homosexuality, it is not enough to be horrified: we must attend to people’s need for God. That is not the only deviation that leads people astray. We are God’s temple, and sitting in a building does not transform the world. Let us examine whether we truly give Him our lives and our strength, even when we are tired, or reserve most of it for our own comfort. Our greatest scourge is spiritual lukewarmness. Let us leave fear behind and go out to share the Word with those God places in our path.
It seems the whole world is in turmoil over homosexuality, some opposed and others in favor. Some brothers and sisters have written to me, horrified and deeply concerned about the issue, but there is a big difference between being concerned and taking action.
I believe God has been showing us for a long time that these things happen while we sit in the pews, and if anything is clearer to us than ever, it is that God does not dwell in temples made by human hands and that we ourselves are, in fact, the temple of God.
So we must ask ourselves: What are we doing to change the world? We are horrified by homosexuality as though it were the only sexual deviation there is, and not only that, but as though it were the only thing that led people away from God’s path. Human beings have a great need for God in their lives, and are we really giving 100%? Are we giving our lives and our strength to God despite weariness and sleepiness, comfort and self-gratification?
When we can give an honest answer to that question, we will realize that we are giving only a tenth of ourselves, and God calls for the remaining 90%. Let us cast off the specter of fear and break down the psychological barriers we have placed before ourselves; out of fear, Peter denied the Lord three times. Every time God places someone in our path to be saved and we let that person pass by, it is as though we were putting Christ back on Calvary.
Without question, homosexuality is not our greatest scourge; our greatest scourge is the spiritual lukewarmness we Christians are suffering from. Let us go out and seek: God will put in our path those He wants to hear His word, but we are the ones charged with sharing it. No one shut away within the walls of a church wrests lives from Satan.