Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Words like ‘nevertheless’ and ‘despite’ are kind of sobering words. All the good work thus far doesn’t really cancel the negatives that come after these sobering words.
Jesus calls out the Ephesian Church for ‘LEAVING’ aka ‘WALKING OUT’ on the first love and not ‘LOSING’ it. Leaving is a conscious, even deliberate act and is never accidental. It just doesn’t happen overnight or at one moment. A ship wavering from its course by 1 degree would reach the continent of Africa instead of its planned destination of Europe. Though they left their first love, everything looked great on the outside. If you attended a service at Ephesus Church, you’d see it as a hardworking church guarding the truth. But, it was not hard for Jesus to pin point what was hidden. Jesus knew exactly what was missing as that’s the most important thing HE was looking for.
It's gradual erosion of relationship, value, principles to an extent that we start justifying wherever we are and whatever we do. The irony is that we blame the absence of God’s presence for this erosion. At least that’s what Israelites at the time of Ezekiel did. If God were with us then why are we living like this? The real question if why are you living like this losing sight of HIS holy presence in HIS holy city. They caught hold of the temple and its rituals but lost hold of God of the temple for whom they did all that.
My dear friend, are you lost or did you leave the first love of Salvation? At least one good news is that you know where to find it, trace your way back to the place where you started, where the Father is waiting with open arms to embrace no matter how far or how long you’ve been gone.
Unless Christ’s love compels every function and unction of life, we are susceptible to wandering and have the potential to leave sooner than later.
2 Cor 5:14-15 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
It was not Paul’s direct encounter with Christ or the wonders/miracles or his close fellowship with him for 3+ years after salvation or it was not even the miracles that Jesus performed in and through Paul himself but it was the overwhelming love of Jesus above all that compelled Paul to do his life and ministry. That is why he wrote
1 Cor 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Charles Spurgeon said it well: “No wonder Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have this against you.” “A church has no reason for being a church when she has no love within her heart, or when that love grows cold. Lose love, lose all.”
"Left your first love” - What love did they leave?
We are commanded to love God and to love one another (Matt 22:37-40)
Did they leave their love for God or love for one another?
Reality is, they both ALWAYS go together.
You can’t love God and not love His family, and
you can’t love His family without loving Him first.
How do you stand on Jesus’s measure of Love for God and for one another?
Are there pot holes you need to fill or it is unpaved road still?
Would you consciously strive to excel in both?
Have a blessed day and week ahead!
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