Each morning as I sit at my desk to write something about God and how He has showed up in my life, I look around my office and am reminded of God’s beautiful creation. I long to sit on the beach and hear the waves crash. I want to feel the ocean breeze across my face. So for a few hours a day, I am in my own little piece of paradise in my office.

The reality is that this isn’t reality. Oh it looks like the beach is just within reach as I turn to my left. Ocean themed items are in view as I look toward the other side of the room. But it’s not real. It’s all fake.

Do you know people who live their lives this way? Playing it safe and never taking bigger and broader steps in their faith to live life to the full? Or maybe you’ve been around a fellow believer and see they are not living as they should. Maybe that person is you!

I believe we all want to be genuine Christians living the way God has called us to live. But in reality, we’re not quite reaching the mark. We’ve missed the goal. And so, it’s just easier to exist in an unreal world with superficial acts of faith.

John tells us that God hates that. In John’s vision of the Church at Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22), he heard God warn the Church that He was about to “spit them out of His mouth” because they were lukewarm. How God wished they were either all in our completely out, but not the in between.

When we live lukewarm lives, we miss so much of what God has in store for us. Jesus didn’t come so that we might live fake, lukewarm lives. No, Jesus came that we “may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 – NIV).

You may be reading this and wonder what or how you might grasp hold of this abundant life. If so, let’s see what God said to the Church at Laodicea. “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 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.” (Revelation 3:19-20 – NIV)

Let’s repent. Let’s be earnest. Let’s ask Him to come in and be with us. That’s reality. That’s having it all and living abundantly.

I still love my beach room and all the reminders of my beloved ocean. But if I just sit here and never, ever visit the beach again, I’m missing the blessings and fulfillment that I receive as I walk through the sand.

It’s the same with our spiritual lives. When we sit on the outskirts of the Church and her mission, we miss the blessings and fulfillment we receive when we are involved and on fire.

Today, I pray that you will catch the fire and have a deeper desire to live abundantly. Let’s set this world on fire for Jesus. Who’s with me?

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna