"The things of religion," writes Jonathan Edwards,

"are so great that there can be no suitableness in the

exercises of our hearts unless they be lively and

powerful."
"In nothing is vigor [in our desires and behavior

so required] as in [the Christian] religion and in

nothing is lukewarm-ness so odious" - or odorous

(as William Shakespeare punned in his comedy

Much Ado About Nothing).

Either way - "odious" or "odorous" -

lukewarm-ness of faith stinks !

Let me offer a basic principle of life:

What we prize, we praise; and what we praise,

we prize all the more.

Prizing effects our actions of praising;

praising affects our attitude of prizing.

The more we prize something,

the more our actions change and increase;

as our actions increase, our attitude toward

what we prize deepens.

If we will behave this way about anyone

or anything we love -

performer, athlete, team, author

automobile, technology, furniture, whatever -

then we might think we should behave this

way about the Lord, who is superior to all

and greater than all things.

But to any extent that we do not, our lack

of fervor stinks - to high heaven!

"We are nothing if we are not earnest about

our faith and if our wills and inclinations are not

intensely exercised," says Edwards.

"The religious life contains things too great

for us to be lukewarm."

Prayer

"Once earthly joy I craved...now thee alone I seek.

This all my prayer shall be: more love, O Christ,

to thee, more love to thee, more love to thee!"

In Jesus Name, Amen.