Remembering our first love
Busy, I’ve been so busy lately….. I must remember my first love: He is here! He has been here all along. My first love is here, but I realise in my busyness, I moved away a little.
In Revelations 2, Jesus commends the work of the church at Ephesus. But he has one thing against them… They have lost their first love — ie forgotten they love Him and that’s why they are doing the works which they are doing.
“Abide…..”
We must abide in Him, just as He abides in the Father and the Father in Him (John 14). To abide is to hold onto, to hold closely, to hold dearly. Then we will not forget him, our first love.
God’s jobs for me
I am enriched by GOD’s challenges. As He is entrusting me with greater responsibility, I am celebrating how much He loves and gives to me, fulfils me and enriches me — and others with whom I engage as I share the wisdom He has given to me. I pour into their lives and it is such a rich blessing.
BUT today as I make space just for Jesus, I come back to him, my first love, without even realising I’d gone away.
I’ve never lost sight of my Lord, of walking in His grace, of keeping my eye on him and not the storm… And yet, as I drew close to him today (as I have been for decades and especially in recent months), as I drew close to him today, it was as if fresh water had been splashed gently upon me. To be with him was – is – so refreshing. I am reminded of Revelations 2: Jesus’ letter to the Ephesians — people who were dedicated and busy for him, but they had lost their first love, their love for him. And I relate,
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent.” (Revelations 2:2-6)
If we don’t abide, if we don’t take time, if we are fired up and motivated and moving for Jesus, but don’t seek him dearly, truly, and deeply every day, how easy it is to drift away.
Moving from him is subtle. Abiding enables us to stay close.
There is no condemnation here, only a tweak of guidance: it’s so easy to drift. Stay close. Keep drawing from him. Hold onto your first love. And finally we keep our eyes on him, and not on the storm.
Shalom and GOD bless,
Sarah