Resilient – A Revelation Daily Devotional – Day 13
Day 13 – August 9
Read or listen to the audio version of the Bible Reading and Daily Devotional.
Our seventh and final church in Revelation, Laodicea, receives the harshest rebuke from Jesus. Unlike Philadelphia, there’s no commendation here, only a stark warning. Jesus doesn’t ask them to “look” but confronts their self-deception head-on.
The Laodicean church was prosperous, situated in a wealthy city known for its banking, fine black wool, and eye salve. They believed they were rich and needed nothing, yet Jesus saw them as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked”. Their problem wasn’t outward persecution, but inward complacency. They were lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, a state Jesus found utterly repulsive. This spiritual indifference is far more dangerous than outright opposition, as it fosters a false sense of security while subtly eroding faith. It’s a reminder that comfort can be a greater enemy to spiritual vitality than hardship.
Jesus’s remedy for their spiritual blindness is profound: He urges them to buy from Him “gold refined by fire” (true riches), “white garments” (righteousness), and “salve to anoint your eyes” (spiritual insight). This isn’t a transactional exchange, but an invitation to humble dependence. They need to recognize their true poverty and allow Jesus to provide what they desperately lack. This process of spiritual awakening often begins with a recognition of our own inadequacy and a willingness to surrender.
The most striking image in this passage is Jesus standing at the door and knocking: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). This isn’t the church’s door to the world, but Jesus’s knocking on the door of the church itself, on the door of individual hearts. He’s outside, patiently waiting for an invitation to enter and commune. The Laodiceans, despite their outward religiosity, had shut Him out through their apathy and self-reliance. This imagery powerfully conveys Jesus’s desire for intimate fellowship. He longs for a personal relationship, a shared meal, a deep connection.
In an age where distractions abound and spiritual apathy can easily creep into our lives, Jesus’s call to the Laodiceans resonates deeply. Are we, as the modern Church, comfortable in our affluence, perhaps unconsciously believing we “need nothing”? Are we lukewarm, allowing the comforts of our society to dull our spiritual fervor? Or are we actively pursuing the true riches, righteousness, and insight that only Christ can provide?
Jesus’s promise to those who overcome is to sit with Him on His throne. This is a call to radical faithfulness, to a passionate pursuit of Him that rejects complacency. May we be a church that not only hears His knock but eagerly opens the door, allowing Him to transform our lukewarmness into a fervent love that impacts the world around us.
Prayer: Jesus, forgive us for our complacency and self-sufficiency. Open our eyes to see our true spiritual condition and our hearts to respond to Your knock. May we invite You into every part of our lives. Amen.