For many people, like myself, I believe that God uses the lyrics of songs to speak to us. Recently, the lyrics to the Matthew West song “All In” have really spoken to a place in my heart.My feet are frozen on this middle ground
The waters warm here the fires gone out
Played it safe for so long the passion left
Turns out safe is just another word for regret
In Revelation 3:15-17, the church at Laodicea is criticized for being lukewarm: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Laodicea was wealthy, and they grew content in their wealth, dependent on it. Because of this, they didn’t see their spiritual poverty, and so the church grew useless for the Kingdom. They were lukewarm.
I’m sure you’ve noticed it in your own life, when life is great and everything is going your way, you don’t see your need for God. You say, “I’ve got this”. But the moment that trouble strikes: your marriage fails, a loved one dies, you lose your job. Then you cry out to God. But God doesn’t just want us sometimes. He says right here that He either wants us Hot or Cold. Not lukewarm. He truly wants us “All In”.
I’m going all in
Headfirst into the deep end
I hear you calling
And this time the fear won’t win
When we remain lukewarm, we become stagnant. The “fire goes out”. We begin to “play it safe”. In many ways, it’s easier to live a lukewarm life. If we’re not all in, we have less to lose. Going all in requires vulnerability and it requires faith. You can live a life without either of these, but is that the life Christ intended for us?
Walking the Christian life isn’t easy, and at many times it is uncomfortable. God loves to push us beyond our comfort zone, because that is where we need Him the most. It is in those times that we have to completely rest and trust in Him to get us through.
If you are lukewarm, God says right here that He will “spit you out”. With God you’re either all in, or, all out. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matt. 12:30). There is no middle ground when it comes to following Christ. You are either following Him, or you are following something, or someone, else.
Jesus was so all in that He gave his life for us. Everything we could ever do will pale in comparison to the price that Jesus paid. He never gave up and stayed committed to the mission the Father had given him. He died for us and we cannot forget that we owe Him all that we are. That means being All In, not lukewarm, but on fire to pursue the mission that was given us by the One who gave His All for us.
My prayer today is that you choose to be All In for Christ. He promises in John 10:10 that He came to give us a life that is full, rich, abundant. Give Him your All and take hold of the promise.
