Wawa RV Resort and Campground, Wawa, Ontario, Canada
Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14
Neither of us had a good night. Blaine’s pinched nerve kept him from sleeping well, and I had lots of various reasons.
For one thing, I got a bit scared when bedtime rolled around and my finger was getting somewhat worse instead of better. Part of the reason for the concern was the fact that we’re in small-town Canada and there really aren’t any doctors around – especially not ones I’d trust for this. The other reason was because of my ordeal 15 years ago with my other hand. All I could think was that I didn’t want to go through that again. And what if it truly is infected? It’s swollen, it’s warm, but those were the only symptoms. I wasn’t in pain per se, there’s no redness, and the swelling hasn’t moved beyond the affected phalange. I had some Cipro that was left over from a year ago, so after a stress-filled discussion with Blaine, I took one of those tablets at bedtime. And before any of you start chastising me for having leftover antibiotics, it wasn’t my decision to stop taking them, it was my doctor’s.
I took a second pill after breakfast, and was sick most of the rest of the day. The remaining pills went in the trash.
Other than a quick trip to the grocery store (remember they were closed yesterday at 6?), we spent today convalescing and I have nothing else to report.
We did however, attend Pastor Mike’s “Soon” series via video this morning. Usually, we can only listen because the campground’s signal’s not strong enough for video. So today was a blessing. No one talks with their hands like a bonified Italian! 😊
This morning, we visited the seventh and final church in Revelation; the text taken from Chapter 3:14-21; the church of Laodicea. The church that had lost its purpose.
Pastor Mike shared quite a bit of relevant background information on the city of Laodicea, that’s helpful for understanding this passage better.
The city was formed around the third century BC. That means, at the time of John’s writing, it’s been around roughly three to four hundred years. Known as a wealthy city, they were so wealthy that when an earthquake devasted them in 60AD, they didn’t need any help from the Roman government to rebuild.
They were famous for their medical school, especially a salve for the healing of eyes and ears; and also for a special black cloth they made.
Their biggest weakness was their lack of water supply.
Laodicea was situated close to the cities of Colossae (as in the book of Colossians), and Hierapolis. This is also important information because Colossae was known for its cool clear water. Hierapolis, for its hot springs. So they imported their water via aqueducts from these two cities, and by the time Laodicea received it, the water wasn’t good anymore – as in, no longer hot or cold. Hot and cold water each have a purpose. Lukewarm does not. It’s sort of like those keys you have in your drawer at home that you don’t know what they go to – they just lay in the drawer with no purpose. How do you feel about lukewarm water to drink? If you’re expecting cold or cool, you spit it out. If you’re expecting hot or warm, you spit it out. Right? Or at the very least, you certainly aren’t refreshed by it. The people of Laodicea rarely drank water, they usually drank wine. It was that bad.
In verse 14, Jesus establishes His position as the Ruler of God’s creation when He says, “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”. Colossians 1:15-20 gives more detail on this when Paul tells us, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (firstborn referring to the rights and authority given the firstborn) For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”
In this opening line to the church of Laodicea, Jesus is pointing out that He is responsible for all of creation. The Laodiceans, (as we do now), had replaced the fact of God’s special creation with the belief that it’s all just time and chance.
Then He moves on to a water analogy, referencing their water supply, to describe their spiritual condition. They are nasty and purposeless to God, and because they are neither hot nor cold, God is about to spit them out of His mouth. The church’s purpose (as in the people claiming to belong to Him) is to bring Him glory (reveal Him to the world) and to give Him pleasure. He longs to tell us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) and He longs for us to fulfill His purpose for us. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Consider that there is a big difference in saying, “I want to do what pleases You.” (which was Cain’s attitude) and “What can I do to please You?” To say it another (and I think easier to understand) way, “I want to do the things that please You.”, rather than, “I want You to be pleased with me.”
Jesus moves on to address this church’s self-delusional self-sufficiency – “I’m rich. I’m prosperous. I need nothing.” When reading verses 17-18, you must think of it spiritually, not physically. “…you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” He encourages them to “Buy from Me gold refined in the fire…” (be pure and valuable); “…and white clothes” (denotes purity that comes from having your sins forgiven); “…and salve to put on your eyes so you can see” (the ability to see things through ‘God’s eyes’ – the proper perspective)
The remaining verses tell them that they are not hopeless. They’ve only to repent. He’s there, waiting. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.”
No one. No one, is separated from God forever who doesn’t choose to be.
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God . . . This is love for God; to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:1, 3-5
What do you choose?
By bedtime tonight, my finger was still swollen, but seemed somewhat better. So was Blaine’s neck! Thank God for His healing touch because he has to drive tomorrow!