Today’s devotional message comes from a great encourager of mine, Calvin Chin, who has noticed how the rush of life paradoxically sometimes allows one’s faith to decay in slow motion right under our noses without detection.  As I received his thoughts, it felt like a splash of cold water waking me up.  Kind of  like in those movies where the character is exceedingly still on the sidewalk, the camera zooms in and suddenly you are taking notice of everything in the surrounding world that is passing by so quickly in a blur. . .take notice and then take charge.

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It is scary how fast time is flying.

This summer has not begun yet and it feels like it is already fleeting.

Time does fly!

Things have a way of changing over time, slowly, gradually, and almost with little notice. . .Like the phrase, “a lobster in a warm pot of water on the stove” we don’t notice how our theology “progresses’.

I had an interesting conversation with someone who witnessed some moments of “girls and guys gone wild” at a relative’s wedding, purportedly Christians getting married. He was shocked at the gyrations, wild behavior, drinking, machinations, and other things that took place. Well, he doesn’t watch MTV or VH1 reality shows.

But are we not to be salt and light? Or is a wedding or other life defining events supposed to mimic the world?

No one wakes up and says, “I don’t have Jesus in my heart anymore!” nor do they say, “I will not let the Gospel transform my heart daily.” 

But rather. . .

It is all progressive.

And it can be progressively *worse* - by putting off prayer until later, by putting off corporate worship to play ball, or brunch with friends ala Carrie Bradshaw or any New Yawker, or to finish some ‘work’ by not stepping up to be a leader in a fellowship group or some ministry.

It takes time to become a champion for God as well as to become a nominal and lukewarm Christian.

Please, I urge you, we are all flawed, busy, forgiven people who need to exercise our Faith daily!

Be progressively stronger in the Word and live it out.

After all, it is far better than that alternative:

Revelations 3:16:

“So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

How’s your theology brewing?  Is it time to check what’s under the lid on your stove?

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Calvin Chin is the Director of Redeemer Presbyterian Church’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, which supports entrepreneurs around a vision of transforming our cities for God. More information about the Entrepreneurship Initative can be found at Redeemer’s Center for Faith and Work website.