What description would you offer for the state of your affection for God today? Can you remember how it felt on the day when you first met Him? Have you come to know Him personally? How far have you wandered from the place where He wants you to be? What will it take for you to return to that first love that He wants every single one of us to have?
I don’t believe there are any issues more crucial for you to consider today.
As Paul has shown us, there’s no distance of time or space that can keep you from God. You may run halfway around the world, and you may hide from God for the best years of your life. No matter what your circumstances, what you may have done, or how long you may have rebelled, God’s door remains open to you. You can go home again—home to the arms of Christ who will never stop pursuing you, never stop seeking to bring you back into His kingdom.
Near the beginning of the book of Revelation, we have a remarkable passage in which the Lord Jesus speaks directly to seven prominent churches of the First Century. He greets each of them with a “pat on the back,” a word of commendation for work well done. Then He gets to business; He tells them what must be improved.
The first of these churches is the one located in the great city of Ephesus. As we read these words, it sounds as if the church had more than its share of “Marthas”—tireless servants who had somehow lost their closeness to the One they’d been serving.
I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance . . . You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don’t, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches (Revelation 2: 2 – 5).
These words are vitally important for everyone who knows and loves God. The Lord is saying, “You’ve served Me well. You’ve suffered for Me patiently. You’ve endured over the long run. Good job! These are wonderful accomplishments. But I must tell you that something troubles Me deeply. I’m referring to your love for Me and for one another.
“It’s not what it once was. Don’t you remember how things used to be? Don’t you remember the time when your hearts were ablaze with love for your Lord—and how that love overflowed into your relationships with each other? Oh, how you’ve fallen from those lofty heights! But there’s good news—you can set things right again—back to how they were!”
Come home—that’s the message. And in the fifth verse, He shows us the path that leads there. We must take these steps:
· Remember (2:5a).
· Repent (2:5b).
· Repeat (2:5c).
After that, Jesus refers to two additional events. When we’ve found our love for God again, we experience revival (2:6) and reward (2:7). I pray that by the grace of God our devotion for Him will catch fire once again, rising to a great flame. Those around us will move closer, just to warm their hands in the glow of our godly love.
Return to you first love. Recommit yourself to your first love. Surrender to your first love. This is how revivals begin.
By Bill Bright
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