Hot springs are useful for their myriad of health benefits and cold water streams are refreshing. Jesus uses the analogy of this two to point out to the Laodicean church that unlike these waters, they were useless. You see, Laodicea seemed to have everything except the most crucial necessity – water. They did not have the privilege of having cold water streams like the mountain towns or the advantage of hot springs like the nearby town of Hierapolis. Their water had to be piped into the town through aqueducts and by the time it arrived, it had become lukewarm. This water neither refreshed nor healed – it was disgusting and good for nothing.

Just like their water, Jesus points out to the Laodicean church that they too were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. And because of their apparent uselessness and disgusting taste, He vowed to spit them out. This seems to be a resounding warning throughout the Scriptures where the believer is called to be useful, to be fruitful otherwise they risk the danger of being cut off from Christ (e.g. John 15:1-2). Every Christian and every church must therefore labour to be useful and impactful to the world around them, or to borrow the words of Scripture elsewhere, to be salt and light. And Jesus is more than ready to help us and stands at the door of our hearts knocking, asking to be let in  (Revelation 3:20). We must allow Him in because apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5) – we can never be cold nor hot.

1. What was your understanding of the hot or cold reference made regarding the church in Laodicea before today’s devotion?

2. If you are a believer, are you like the hot springs that heal or the cold-water streams that refresh?

3 If you are none of the above, how are you going to change this?