Key Scripture: Revelation 2:4-5

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Today’s headline verses are incredibly powerful – and convicting.

Pulled from the context of a message from Jesus Christ to the Church in Ephesus, we see that the people of the Church of Ephesus have hard work and patient endurance on their side. They do not tolerate evil people amongst them and have discerned liars and fakes from authentic apostles and leaders. The Bible tells us that they have ‘patiently suffered’ for the Lord, ‘without quitting’. (Rev 2:3)

Doesn’t this sound like a glowing report?! I would be delighted with such praise!

But the story continues. Along come the verses that may be more familiar to us as followers of Jesus – the rebuke of allowing our first love to be forsaken. To be compromised, and in favour of what?

Complacency?

Over-familiarity?

Busyness or laziness?

There are a number of things that can lead us to drift and become distracted from our first love found only in Jesus.

Life can get in the way of the thing we love and are called to commit ourselves to the most.

The subtleties of daily distractions can creep in and before we know it, it has been 3 days, and we haven’t so much as cast a fleeting thought heavenward.

Friends, I want to encourage you that, if you find yourself in a less-than-ideal distance from Jesus, He has not moved away from you. Jesus remains near to you and longs to be close with you again.

Whether it has been 3 days, 3 weeks or a prolonged season away that looks more like 3 years, please remember that the steps back home are not as far as you may think or feel.

Commit to returning to the gracious heart of the Father today. He is waiting with arms wide open.

Father God,

Thank you that you leave the 99 in search for me. Lord, please reveal any areas in my life where I have wandered and give me the courage to face them with honesty.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.