第三章

14 「你要寫信給老底嘉教會的使者，說：『那為阿們的，為誠信真實見證的，在神創造萬物之上為元首的，說：15 我知道你的行為，你也不冷也不熱；我巴不得你或冷或熱。16 你既如溫水，也不冷也不熱，所以我必從我口中把你吐出去。17 你說：我是富足，已經發了財，一樣都不缺；卻不知道你是那困苦、可憐、貧窮、瞎眼、赤身的。18 我勸你向我買火煉的金子，叫你富足；又買白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞恥不露出來；又買眼藥擦你的眼睛，使你能看見。19 凡我所疼愛的，我就責備管教他；所以你要發熱心，也要悔改。20 看哪，我站在門外叩門，若有聽見我聲音就開門的，我要進到他那裏去，我與他，他與我一同坐席。21 得勝的，我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐，就如我得了勝，在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。22 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！』」

 

默想：

1. 我對一般的教會，在哪些方面覺得失望？對我自己的教會呢？對身為教會一員的我自己呢？
2. 對當時老底嘉的人來說，溫水是沒有用處的；又不能飲用（需要冷水），也不能用來洗澡（需要熱水）。在哪些方面，因為對財富、舒適、及理所當然的看法，使得我對神國度不再如昔的有用？
3. 我怎麼看，神那忍耐又堅持的恩典，在我的教會中、以及在我這個教會的成員身上工作？神藉著這段經文對我說什麼？

 禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 3

¹⁴“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. ¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰Here 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. ²¹To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Meditation

1. What are some of my disappointments with the church at large? With my own church in particular? With myself as a member of the church?
2. For the people in Laodicea, lukewarm water was useless water, since it was no good for drinking  (cold) or for bathing in (hot). In what ways have wealth, comfort, and taking things for granted impaired my usefulness the Kingdom of God?
3. How do I see the patient and yet persistent grace of God at work in my church and in me as a member?  What does God say to me through this passage?

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.