Daily Devotional for April 23, 2021

After retiring from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, where he served as the Vice President of Student and Spiritual Life, Dr. Bradley worked for a local funeral home.

He told me of a time when there was a funeral in a Catholic church.  He was speaking with the priest and was curious about the fount containing holy water at the entrance to the sanctuary.  Dr. Bradley asked if the holy water had come from the Jordan River.

The priest explained they got the holy water from the faucet.

Dr. Bradley said, “What makes the water holy?”

The priest said, “We boil the hell out of it.”

That may be the greatest answer in the history of answers.  It got me thinking.

In order for me to be a holy person, I cannot be lukewarm.  I need to have the hell boiled out of me. There are certain ways that happens.

First, I have to remember it’s not about me, it’s about God.

Second, I need to immerse myself in scripture, be diligent in my prayer life, regularly attend worship, and give of my money, time, and talents.

Third, I need to work more on forgiveness.

Fourth, I need to love when it is easy and when it is hard.

Fifth, I need to speak less and listen more.

Jesus doesn’t want lukewarm Christians.  He wants believers who have had the hell boiled out of them and are on fire for the gospel.  That’s our goal.

Jesus says to the church of Laodicea, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”  (Revelation 3:16)

But the good news is that even if we aren’t as hot as we should be, Jesus will not give up on us.  He says to the same church, “Listen!  I am standing at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.”  (Revelation 3:20)

So, open the door to your heart, let Jesus in, and live a fired up existence of love, grace, service, and peace.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, fill me with passion, excitement, and joy.  Use me to bring others into your family.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and have the hell boiled out of you.  It’s the best way to live.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins