Our Cup Of Tea!

Whenever I make myself a cup of tea, I like the water to be boiling. Having the tea bag sit in the boiling water for five minutes or more brings out plenty of the tea’s full flavor.

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome he exhorted…
“Do NOT be SLOTHFUL IN ZEAL, be FERVENT IN SPIRIT, serve the Lord.” ( Romans 12:11 ESV)

How could there even be such a thing as slothful (slow, sluggish, or lazy) zeal? Doesn’t zeal itself imply energy and enthusiasm? The contrast here is between slothful zeal and a fervent spirit. Other translations present the contrast as lagging diligence verses fervent in spirit (NKJV) or laziness verses enthusiastic service (NLT). The Greek implies shrinking or timid zeal or diligence. That is not to be characteristic of our zeal.

Perhaps you are wondering why I began mentioning the way I like my tea. Paul’s exhortation encouraged toward being “FERVENT IN SPIRIT” in serving the Lord. The Greek translated “fervent” is a word that means to be hot or boil. Our zeal for service is not to be cold or simmering, but BOILING HOT!

Remember the Lord’s rebuke of the church at Laodicea.
“(15) I know your works: YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. Would that you were either cold or hot! (16) So, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM, and neither hot nor cold, I WILL SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH.” ( Revelation 3:15-16 ESV)

Lukewarm or cold water does not make a good cup of tea. I want it boiling. And that is the kind of zeal and spirit God desires to see behind our service. May such zeal be precisely our cup of tea. In that way our service will be palatable to the Lord.

Have a great day LIVING A TASTEFUL LIFE OF SERVICE!
Carl

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