Photo credit – http://cargocollective.com/rojofotodesign/First-Love
Rev 2: 2 “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; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
How’s your personal prayer and worship time been going lately? Have you found that the business of life or even church have been squeezing the joy out of it?
Truly these are fast-paced, difficult times and there seems to be so much we have to be on top of. Yet, in the midst of that, we have to be militant and unswerving in preserving that all imporant one-on-one time with God.
In the church at Ephesus, so much was to be commended in their works – their diligence, patience and endurance in tough times, their unwillingness to tolerate evil and their testing of false apostles.
However, all was not right, their christian love had diminished and the Lord needed to bring it to their attention. If they did not repent, His presence would be felt by way of judgement.
So too with us! In the midst of all the good we may seek to do and be doing, something may be missing and me must take heed to our Master who sees and knows everything as He walks among us. His desire is that we be complete in Him.
I know that the Lord has had to bring this to my attention at many different points in my walk with Him..saying “come back to me..your heart is straying from it’s narrow course and pure love. Enjoy my presence and my word as you did at first. Sometimes OR often, our priorities will have to be addressed and readjusted.
Let’s not neglect that pure, fervent, love we had for the Lord and the desire to meet Him in prayer and worship like we did when we first came to Him. Let’s not neglect fervent love for His body and also those lost in spiritual darkness.
If God is saying this to you, to your family or your church today, consider carefully what your current state is compared to the former. In prayerful repentance acknowledge where you have fallen, go back to where you had left off, return to positions of zeal in prayer, worship and the love for His presence that you had at first.
He said that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us (1 Jh 1:9). So ask Him to restore the joy of your salvation, your love and zeal for Him and for others. Begin again with you and Christ. Nothing can be substituted for pure love and zeal for Him and a pursuit of Him alone.
Ps 16 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
“Pursuit of you” by Jaye Thomas has been such an encouragement to me to keep it simple. I hope it will encourage you.
God bless! Have a wonderful weekend.
By Carol-angel Jackson