Pop quiz today, what is this walk on earth all about? Answer? Its a LOVE story. Which brings us to something that has been often repeated over time but the Spirit of the Lord is pressing on it again this morning. Here is the angle on it today:
It is Revelation 2:4, in the letter to the church in Ephesus. The wording is “left,” “forsaken,” or “abandoned,” not “lost.” “Lost your first love” is the way people usually say it.
King James: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
New American Standard: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
English Standard: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.”
The line sits right after He has already named their works, labor, patience, and endurance (Revelation 2:2–3). Then He tells them to remember from where they have fallen, repent, and do the first works, or He will remove their lampstand (Revelation 2:5).
People can still be "working" after the love has gone cold. That is the warning here. Remember 1 Cor 13, a person can have a faith that moves mountains, give all their money to the poor, and give our body over to hardship, none of that matters without love.
He comes first. Our personal, one on one, intimate relationship with Him comes first. The "work" is a distant second. So, the warning here is you can be doing the work. In fact you could be working yourself to death and thinking "we're good" you and the Lord when in fact you would be wrong. No love, no first love and your lampstand gets removed.
A lampstand is not a trophy for effort. In the vision, the lampstands are the churches, and He walks among them. The lamp is the witness set in His presence. To remove it from its place is to take away that church as a light before Him. That is not a bruised feeling. That is the end of the assignment.
How do we do this then? He tells us get back to the love we had at first. Fan the flame. Remember the love you had at first and why you had it. He died for us in love and mercy right? Pretty good reason to stay in love? He promises a hope and a future, He crowns us with love and compassion, goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our life. Does that help fan the flame?
Today's post is not a beat down its a reminder to put first things first. We are working on a post doctorate degree now in Christianity. We are getting to where the rubber meets the road, where things really matter. Love is the doctoral thesis, it is how we graduate. It is also the first class we take as a freshman. It is the beginning and the end. We must become and remain experts of agape (God's) decision based love.
Remember, "doing the work" is great but it counts for nothing without the personal one on one, first love time with Him just you and Him building loving relationship. Everything else is built on that.
We are dearly loved children. Keep the faith.
Please join with your brother in praying over the prayer targets today.
Glory to God
grace and peace
