yawn is death's brother

Spiritual temperatures are best taken on the bus. Do not gauge your fervency for Jesus by how high you feel when singing praise songs surrounded by other outwardly exuberant Christians. The buzz you feel in the midst of a spiritual retreat always fades. You do not need more temporary buzzes. The Great Physician makes house calls; your kitchen will do just fine for his office.

Learn to do small things for Jesus before singing great songs to him or praying long prayers. Better yet, do nothing for Jesus; let him do for you. He is able to stir the smoldering coals.


Yawn is Death’s brother. Indifference to God’s love is worse than outright attack; at least when you are battling God you are engaged with him. Apathy is the worst crime; to ignore God is to act as if he isn’t there. This is the supreme insult. Stir up your spiritual sensibilities so you can learn to rest. This is the paradox of authentic faith.

Do not put your faith in nothing. To believe in a vacuum is foolishness. Step out, risk. You may not know it, but you can act as if God really is great, majestic, abundant and untame. Faith is risk. Put something to the test, to see if it really is true. In this way, faith proves the unseen.

Let his fire within warm your spirit. Then, offer a cup of cold water to a weary soul, including your own. Be either hot or cold. In this instance, no couches are needed to be still.