A Call to return to your first love
Good morning brethren, I like to write on a topic “A call to return to your first love. Revelation 2:4-5 says “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” What does it mean to leave your first love? It is the gradual loss of that initial passion, intimacy, and devotion we had when we first encountered our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That early fire—a love pure and joyful, motivated by awe and gratitude—is what Jesus longs for. In Jeremiah 2:2, God remembers it:
“I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness…” Even though the Ephesian church was doctrinally sound and morally upright, they were commended for their perseverance, discernment, and hard work but Jesus still had something against them. They had lost the very heart of it all: love. We live in a world full of distractions and pressures. As Jesus warned in Matthew 24:12 “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. Let this be a sober reminder that God sees our service, our labour, and our sacrifices. But if love is not at the center, it will all be in vain. Signs that one has left their first love includes - spiritual dryness, going through the motions—religion without relationship, serving God out of duty, not delight, less time in prayer or the Word, loss of joy in worship, bitterness, burnout, or carelessness in ministry, indifference to other people’s needs or salvation and compromise in holiness. But this is the good news that Jesus is calling us back. Revelation 2:5 says “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” What must we do? We must reflect on how our love used to be, repent of whatever has taken God’s place in our hearts, return to practices that once kept our fire burning for example intimate prayer, heartfelt worship, joyful obedience, vibrant fellowship, and bold testimony, then remember the cross. Recall God’s grace and let gratitude stir your heart again. There are consequences of not returning, Revelation 2:5 says “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand…” (Revelation 2:5). Losing one’s lampstandr means losing spiritual influence, light, and effectiveness. However, there are rewards of returning, for example a restored intimacy and joy, renewed spiritual effectiveness and eternal life and fellowship with Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:7).
Therefore, let us hear the call of Hosea 6:1: “Come, let us return to the Lord… He will heal us.” Know this, that God longs for you more than you long for Him. His arms are open wide, like the father waiting for the prodigal son (Luke 15). This call is not about guilt; rather it is about grace. Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” Service starts at 10:30am. Workers’ meeting begins at 10:00am. God’s blessings - Mike