First Love

Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

This summer, without a doubt, has been the most trying in every area of my life. From incredible heat that works on my aging body, to seemingly endless work problems, complaints, and difficulties to the point of questioning my profession. The work load has pulled me away from my family, and drained me to the point of little, sporadic time, with my Lord. My hearts pursuit of daily time with him early every morning, has been replaced by needed physical rest, and mental escape from the worldly stresses that invade. The physical and mental strains have morphed into a roller-coaster of emotions, a draining ride of anxiety and depression that kills the motivation of life. I am tired in every sense, but this morning, He showed me why in prayer, reminding me of the passage above; my heart had lost my first love.

When we read Christ’s warnings to the churches in Revelation, it should not only be seen as a warning to some that have fallen in their faith, but likely we should see ourselves in these descriptions. Scholars argue about the meanings behind them as scholars do, but there is a simplicity in every one. Jesus commends all that Sardis does well here, but has even the church lost the why, even lost in religion, even lost their love for the one they seem religious for? 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. They are commended for so much, even for their hearts agony over the evil that surrounds them, but somewhere in there is lost the why of all their actions and motivations. All throughout the Bible questions our heart for God. Christianity at it’s simplest form all about the condition of the heart, and sadly the religiosity, the same battles Jesus condemned, are prevalent in today’s churches and society. We believe we are earning our way into heaven with our list of what we have done, and what we haven’t done, or dare I say even just repented for and claimed the hyper-grace that will condemn many to Hell? Christianity is all about the condition of one’s heart, and only God knows your condition, and why you do and think every thing you do. What is the greatest commandment in the Bible? Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

God knows your heart, why you think and do, every thing you think and do, or even abstain from either. God knows your heart, it’s level of religion, and it’s level of love. God knows the faces you put on, the sins you hide, and the desires of all you have in life. There are many Christians that aren’t really Christians in God’s eyes; we may view them as such, but what will his reply be on Judgement Day? If he is tugging at you, respond by pursuing him in prayer and his Word. If he is showing you something painful, all throughout Revelation is the call to repent for the churches torepent and draw near to him, for that is the first step of showing one’s love, a humble repentant hearts plea, and the desire for forgiveness, and the desire to draw nearer to the One you love the most.