Profile of the Lukewarm

I found a letter that I wrote in January 2009, but never sent. I don't know why I didn't send it (maybe I forgot, decided not to, lost it?) but I'm kind of glad I found it because the book it was about is still being borrowed by friends.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Heard of it? This is what I wrote.

"Chapter 4: Profile of the Lukewarm

I love this quote...

'It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity.' -Frederic D. Huntington

And then Chan says,

'...He persists in loving us with unending, outrageous love.' (65)

I love reading/hearing about God's love like that..."outrageous", "crazy". Of course the way that the Bible describes His love is also poetic, powerful, and moving, but it's words like these that I know exactly how to interpret. Chan talks about God's love in a way that blows my mind.

So when I read this chapter, I wrote down the "lukewarm people" points. There are 18, almost all...or pretty much all...or ALL of which apply to me (to one extent or another...but all :( ). This just shows how I've been living life and serving God with so little passion and how I've been feeling satisfied about it because I'm not as "bad" as other people.

My prayer is that this is the start of radical change in your heart, the hearts of all who have/will read this book, and mine. My prayer is that we can leave that comfortable, spiritually sedentary self behind (by the strength of God, of course!)

I was surprised when Chan described us as salt that would "ruin manure" D: Analogies like this have come up so many times in this book already...and each time, I immediately try to get around it. But really? I'm not even good enough for manure...I need to start seeing everything I do in God's eyes."