Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Revelation 2:4 NIV
In Revelation 2, a significant accusation was made against the Church in Ephesus. Although they performed good deeds, they had forsaken their initial fervent love. Therefore, it is important to consistently wonder about reigniting your first love for God. This timeless message encourages deep reflection.
Indeed, there was a season when the Ephesians burned with passion for God. They deeply loved the Lord and His work. Their love was evident in their diligent labour and remarkable perseverance (Revelation 2:2-3). Moreover, they stood firm against evil people, showing a strong commitment to truth. They also endured hardship for God’s name, demonstrating unwavering faith.
Despite their good works, God declared they had forsaken their first love. This profound loss presents two dangers. Primarily, individuals might simply stop doing the spiritual activities they once cherished. Alternatively, people might continue these actions, but merely out of religious habit and without genuine heart. Consequently, the acts become empty rituals.
God’s call to the Ephesians was straightforward, yet powerful. He urged them to remember their initial spiritual fervour. Furthermore, they needed to acknowledge how far they had drifted from that passionate devotion. Therefore, the divine instruction was to repent and deliberately return to those initial deeds. This meant revisiting the practices of their early faith journey, not out of duty or responsibility, but because they love God.
If you observe a decline in your love for God and His service, self-reflection becomes vital. First, consider the depth of this spiritual decline. Then, you must genuinely repent, committing to restart your intimate relationship with God through former practices. This might mean returning to consistent church attendance, actively participating in the assembly of saints. Similarly, it involves diligently reading your Bible, whether for long or short periods. Moreover, embrace that vibrant lifestyle of worship and thanksgiving you embraced at the beginning. This process of remembering, repenting, and actively doing helps in reigniting your first love for God.
The Lord warns against ignoring this call to return. If we refuse to repent, He will remove our lamp stand from its place (Revelation 2:5). This signifies a loss of spiritual relevance and divine assignment. Individuals may remain physically present in the church and religious activities, yet they cease fulfilling God’s purpose.
A lamp stand is a tool that holds the light that illuminates its surroundings; therefore, its removal plunges that space into darkness. To avoid having your spiritual light quenched and your assignment removed, genuinely consider your position. Have you forsaken your first love? Repent wholeheartedly and return to the practices of your initial love. Begin again, grow even better than before.
Living It Out
Take a moment today to reflect on your journey. Remember the actions that marked your early spiritual passion. Then, with a repentant heart, commit to reigniting your first love for God by intentionally returning to those first deeds. Your spiritual vitality depends on it.