HOT and cold

I love my new bathroom. The shower has a large, frosted window in it so if you get in at the right time, you can take a morning shower in the rays of the rising sun. I love sunshine.

There is a problem, however. The building is on the older side of things. Not historical preservation by any means, but several decades old. Because of this, or simply poor pipes, it is virtually impossible to take a shower of constant temperature if you try during normal awake hours. It seems somebody in the building is always brushing their teeth, washing dishes, flushing a toilet, or doing laundry. It's perpetual "Flush!" land.

This morning, for example, I probably spent more time along side a stream of scalding hot water than I did under it. Well, I am slightly exaggerating. But it was pretty close, maybe a third of my shower time.

You can try anything. You think you've finally found the perfect water temperature after a marathon of knob turning only to find yourself yelping in pain as your skin feels like its about to peel. Or you get a blast of ice cold water even though the cold water knob is not open. The temperature will not stay constant for more than about 40 seconds.

Its either hot. Or its cold. It's never in between.

After thinking about it this morning, as the shower billowed with clouds of steam and I positioned my feet in such a way I could avoid getting burned by the falling water, I finally discovered what happened. The shower head borrowed my Bible and read Revelation 3:15 and 16.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

So my shower has taken this to heart, and will only be hot or cold.

When you read those verses in their context, God rebukes people who say that they have everything that the world offers and don't need anything else. He offers those lukewarm people an upgrade on everything they think they have, free of charge for something better. Much better.

It is so easy to get caught up in the rat race that we forget about the life that God calls us to. A life that is completely opposite of what the world recommends. Or what makes sense.

God calls us to give ourselves completely to Him. Not halfway. Not straddled on a fence. Not lukewarm.

Its funny what a shower can teach you about life.