Read: Revelation 2:1-7
Reflect: I recently celebrated a birthday. With our family gathered around, my husband prayed. His voice caught as he thanked God for my life. I was overcome immediately with the depth of my love for him. I felt an immense gratitude for his evident love for me over the years.
LIFE WAS ALL WE DREAMED IT COULD BE
Since then, I have been thinking back over the course of our relationship. It makes me chuckle to remember the early season when we felt sad for others because we were sure they couldn’t possibly love each other as much as we loved one another. Investing time and attention was effortless. We were filled with hope and anticipation of our future. My eyes prick with tears remembering the precious moments when life was all we dreamed it could be.
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MADE US WEARY
There were also the circumstances that made us weary, threatening to devastate and steal our love. Although we both entered marriage deeply committed, it didn’t take long to experience reality. Hard work and perseverance were needed to intentionally grow our connection. The business of life and navigating the troubles of this world all vied for their spot of importance. They threatened to jeopardize our relationship. Giving in to those pressure could have, at best, left us with a dedication solely rooted on obligation. We would have had a relationship only based on a sense of duty or responsibility, not a love relationship.
YOU DON’T LOVE ME AS YOU DID AT FIRST!
In contrast, is the joy one experiences both while intentionally persevering through challenges. It is possible to actually live a continued love with affection for one another! Our relationship with God can be the same way. We enter it filled with passion and excitement. Over the course of time the cares of this life come crowding in. Although we may still walk faithfully with Him, the fire of our love can grow dim. It can rob us of the fulfilling and victorious life He wants to share with us. This is the major thought of verse 4 of this passage: Jesus says: “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” Believers were busy filling obligations, but had forgotten their love relationship with the Savior.
ARE YOU GROWING YOUR FIRST LOVE?
Apply: What about you? Have you been investing the time and effort into growing your first love with the Savior? Do you persevere only out of a sense of obligation? Does the depth of your love for Jesus overwhelm you? What is in your heart? Is there an immense gratitude for His evident love for you over the years? Are you experiencing the joy of not only persevering through challenges, but also the delight of experiencing continued love and affection for Our wonderful Savior? If not, He calls you to come back to your first love.