Drifting from Devotion

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’” Revelation 2:1-7

Jesus speaks to the New Testament church of Ephesus in this passage in Revelation, but to how many twentieth century fellowships and individuals do His words apply as well?

Remember the first stirrings of the emotion of love? Some have referred to it as intoxicating. You saw the color and texture of life with clarity which you had not known before. The possibilities of life stretched before you like an unexplored new land. If you traveled on, you experienced the thrill and joy of discovering what you had never known before.

Awaking to true love is the God-given foundation from which a deepening relationship can be built and upon which a meaningful and lasting marriage can be sustained and matured. But what happens to a love relationship when one partner leaves their “first love”? Too often it is divorce.

Do we “divorce” ourselves from God when we are guilty of leaving our first love, our preeminent love for Christ? Restoration comes through the channel of repentance and a reaffirmation of commitment and dedication to your “first love,” the person of Jesus Christ.

The world does not need a definition of Christianity as badly as it needs a demonstration.