Text: Revelation 2:1-7
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” — Revelation 2:4
This week marks my 26th wedding anniversary with Cindy. I can recall early in our marriage, I found myself attending a figure skating show “on ice” for the first time in my life. Up until that moment, I had never felt any kind of compulsion to attend a figure skating event in person. I could’ve gone to my grave in peace without ever attending one. Yet that evening was quite enjoyable for me, not so much because of what was happening on the ice, but because of what was happening in Cindy’s heart. When I fell in love with her, her delights became my delights and what moved her heart moved mine.
Love changes the way we are present.
The church in Ephesus was commended for doctrinal vigilance and endurance, but was rebuked for its loss of love (Revelation 2:1-7). Sadly, they had lost that lovin’ feelin’, even though they were doing many good works for God. What was once a love relationship had diminished into callous orthodoxy and cold religion. They were doing their duty, but had lost their devotion. The Ephesian church was a working church, yet somewhere along the way, they had lost their first love. God rebuked them for having abandoned the love they had at first (Revelation 2:4).
Charles Spurgeon expounded on this passage with a sobering indictment:
“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.”
Rather than merely being busy with loveless religious toil, being unbearable towards those overcome by evil, and being coldhearted in their doctrinal policing (v. 2), God warned these early believers to repent and return to that first love they once knew when they initially began to follow the way of Jesus.
Beloved, consider this: God wants us to be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). He wants us to mature in sound doctrine (Titus 1:9). He wants us to love the sinner while abhorring the sin that destroys life (Jude 1:23). The Ephesians did all of these, nevertheless, had lost the most important thing—their love relationship with God. It’s important to note that anytime we lose our first love with God, it inevitably affects every other relationship in life. It erodes our capacity to love others in a genuine, Christ-like way.
As you take time to abide in Him this week, ask God to reveal to you any areas of your life that have fallen away from your first love. If necessary, repent of things that have taken the place of that first love. Ask God to renew your passion to love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love others the way He loves them—your family, your neighbors, your co-workers, your classmates, your sports rivals, your political opponents, your critics, even your enemies. Imagine the kingdom of God breaking out on endless fronts through this devotion of returning to your first love.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we see that you both commended and critiqued the Ephesians in their relationship with you and others. You do the same with us. Holy Spirit, examine our hearts and reveal to us anything that indicates a falling away from our first love. Revive our hearts and rekindle that first love, that we may serve you in a way that delights in what you delight in and are moved by what moves you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:
- What is the craziest thing you have ever done for love?
- Oftentimes the selfless things that spouses do for one another early in a marriage fall off later in the marriage. To what can this be attributed?
- In what ways can we sometimes take God’s love for granted?
- Why do you think God warns us about being religious while abandoning our first love? What is the danger here?
- What can you do this week to cultivate intimacy with God and guard your life from cold-hearted religious duty?
