First Love

First Love

Read: Revelation 2:1-7

“You have forsaken your first love.”

Revelation 2:4

“We should find no pleasure or delight in anything except in our Creator, Redeemer, and Savior.”

—St. Francis of Assisi

IN WORD The beginning of a romantic relationship is usually its most exciting stage. All things are new, the future is full of possibilities, and love flourishes. New lovers are apt to do anything for one another and are often embarrassing in their affection for each other. They don’t embarrass themselves, of course—just everyone around them. To them, it’s a perfectly natural thing to lavish praises and passionate words on each other.

But after a while, love can grow comfortable and sometimes even boring. The excesses of courtship are forsaken for less extravagant displays of affection. In fact, affection itself may become more obscure. Why doesn’t the passion last for most couples? Perhaps it is that we are finite beings who find the interesting things to explore in our beloved somewhat limited. Perhaps though we enjoy the excitement of passion, we enjoy the comfort of predictability more. But where there is true love, passion can always be rekindled. Always.

The Ephesian church had forsaken its first love. Perhaps it had rejected its Lover outright. More likely, it had just let its love grow stale. Predictable. Boring. Comfortable, but not too exciting. Like saying “I love you” as a ritual rather than as an overflow of affection. Like mouthing the words of worship without meaning them or even thinking about them.

Jesus calls them back to Himself. He isn’t satisfied with the predictable and stale. He has never told anyone that his or her praises were too lavish. And with Him, there is no limit to the stage of fascinating discovery. There is always something new to learn—and celebrate—about God.

IN DEED Would Jesus say such a thing to you? Have you lost your first love? You follow Him, but do you enjoy Him? Is your relationship with God stale and cold, or passionate and exhilarating? God loves the stage of embarrassing affection. It’s His permanent desire. Is He enjoying your relationship with Him? Are you? The fire of first love can be rekindled. Ask Him to ignite its flame in you.