Is Your Faith Hot and Cold?

We are a consumer driven society. We consume and we get consumed, and once nothing is left, once it seemingly has no value left, whoever or whatever it is gets disposed of. And once the last person or thing is disposed of, we move to the next person or thing, until it gets used up, and the cycle repeats.

Not only do we consume and get consumed, but like the water from our faucets, our loyalty often runs hot and cold. As long as that person or that thing is beneficial to us, we remain loyal. But the minute remaining loyal either becomes too hot or too cold, or when being loyal is seemingly detrimental or no longer useful to us, we throw out our loyalty like dirty water in the sink.

Does your loyalty, your allegiance, to others depend simply upon circumstances? What they can give you.

Now let me ask – Does your loyalty, your allegiance, to God also depend upon your circumstances? What you can get from God.

In one of Jesus’ most difficult moments, his closest allies bailed on him. When Jesus was arrested, did the disciples come to his defense, arguing for Jesus to be released? Sadly, they did not. Instead, they quickly ran the other way, fearing they too might be arrested, and maybe worse yet, killed. Here is what we read – “Then they all deserted Him and ran away” (Mark 14:50, HCSB).

The two verses that follow (51-52) tell us that a young man followed Jesus, but he too fled when the heat was on. Not only did this young man flee, but the text also tells us that he dropped his outer garment, apparently not wearing any underwear, and fled naked. Only Mark records this mysterious episode of the unidentified young man. Many scholars believe this young man was actually Mark, as his way to say, “I was there too.”

Scripture has few sadder words than “they ran away.”

In contrast to the “cold” faith in the previous paragraphs, another story that remains “hot,” even in the face of great danger. In the book of Daniel, we a find the story (click here) of three young Jews who remained faithful to God even when the heat really got turned up, literally! The story begins when the king issues a decree that everyone must bow down and worship a gold statue made in his image or be thrown into a fiery furnace.

When the three men refused to obey the king’s decree, he was furious and he summoned them, giving them two choices, either bow down to the gold statue or be thrown into a blazing furnace. They refused to worship the statue. I imagine that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were probably wondering where God was as they were bound and thrown into the furnace. This fire was so hot that several of the king’s soldiers were killed by the flames as they put the three men into the furnace.

After some time, King Nebuchadnezzar had his advisors check on the status of the three men, no doubt convinced that they were cooked to “well done.” But much to their surprise, the three men were seen walking around in the fiery furnace, unbound and unharmed. Plus, a fourth man was in there with them. The story ends with the three men being rescued by God, and because of their unwavering faith an entire province witnessed this miracle, many changed their allegiance from the king to God. Even King Nebby himself praised this God who rescued Shad, Mesh, and Benny.

Scripture contains few more heroic words than “But even if he does not” found in v.18.

I encourage you to read the click the link above to read this story.

So, today, I ask you – Do you have the unwavering “I know God can but even if He does not” kind of faith or do you find your faith running hot or cold contingent upon whether or not God has done what you asked of Him? Are you still faithful even when the heat is on?

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