Rebecca Lightfoot
The final characteristic Jesus talks about of those that will know the presence of The Lord in their lives is a life that is spiritually refreshing and spiritually healing to others-Rev3:14-16,”To the angel of the church in Laodicea....I know your deeds,that you are neither cold nor hot;I would that you were cold or hot.So because you are lukewarm,& neither hot nor cold.I will spit you out of my mouth.”The people of Laodicea were secure financially&commercially,and comfortable in their educated/learned social circles/communities.The people Jesus is speaking to had let these “comforts&securities”of their environment infect their faith in & passion for Christ! To the extent that their lives waned from the joy filled purposes that Jesus’ Spirit living in them desired for them to have!This made their lives smell&sound&look just like that of their environment!The water of Laodicea was provided by a community system of pipes that dissipated all of the soothing heat and refreshing cold that water can provide.Jesus was telling His people in Laodicea that they were allowing the comforts&securities in their environment to rob them of the Spiritually Refreshment & Spiritual Medicinal purposes HE desires for them to have as part of a personal relationship with Him.Jesus was saying that instead of a personal relationship with HIM inspiring them to be people that impact their environment with The Refreshing and Healing powers of HIS Mercy and Grace,that they were allowing the comforts&securities of their environment to dissipate the very Refreshing and Healing that are the Gifts Jesus was born/lived/suffered/died,& was resurrected for them to have.And in so doing,the Church in Laodicea was not being the Refreshing Healing presence/influence of Christ in their communities.In fact the opposite was happening,& it makes Jesus Heartsick!These people said,Rev3:17,”I am rich...& have need of nothing”.To which Jesus says,”you do not know that you are wretched & miserable & poor & blind & naked.I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire(treasures with Eternal Value),that you may become rich(Eternal Securities),& white garments,that you may clothe yourself,& that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed(made Righteous by The Gospel of Christ);& eyesalve to anoint your eyes,that you may see(know the Presence and Purposes of The Lord)”.The people in Laodicea had allowed their environment to impact them,thereby reducing them/dissipating them to becoming churchy & religious with all the aromas and other characteristics of their environment.They had lost all of the Refreshing & Healing of Christ in their lives...and their communities progressively got worse,instead of knowing the Refreshing & Healing of Christ through them.Dear Lord,I claim so many things in my mind/heart/life about You and my relationship with You.But this section of Revelation exposes so much of me that is just like the people You are talking to here.In fact,You ARE talking to me about these very same things in my life.I pray for You to give me the strength of honesty before You...so I can allow Your Spirit and Your Word to Refresh and Heal me in the areas of my mind/heart/life that I am just like the people in Laodicea.