YOUR FIRST LOVE...

Revelation 2:1-11 

Friday, 25 April 2025

"I know your works, your labour, 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; and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (Revelation 2:2-4)

The author and finisher of our faith is writing His heartfelt feelings about His most beloved bride; that is the Church. He is carefully caricaturing each type or season in the Church individually or historically. It shows His love for the church and the various types of our responses. Striking features of various churches mentioned in the second and third chapters of Revelation, in general are: 

• Ephesus- The loveless church

• Smyrna -The persecuted church

• Pergamos- The over tolerant church

• Thyatira- The compromising church

• Sardis- The sleeping church

• Philadelphia- The church with opportunity

• Laodicea- The complacent church

  
  

For our meditation today let’s look through the eyes of the Lord towards the first of the seven- The Church at Ephesus. Great things are spoken about it. A hard working community with great patience and intolerance for evil and evil doers. Apostacy is not allowed to enter through its gates. Never weary in doing good. Always persevered with patience. Even with all the above golden characteristics, when Jesus looked at the heart behind each of these devotions, there was one thing lacking- LOVE. It is the one and most important ingredient in our walk with Christ. But it was missing in these Christians.

Apostle Paul was poignantly writing about the importance of LOVE in his beautiful treatise in 1Corinthians chapter 13. It is the summary of the whole of our Christian walk. Loveless devotion is like a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal—just a mere sound or action for the sake of religiosity. If a Christian just goes through the “motions” of religion without his heart in it, it is of no value before God neither does it benefit him/her. It is more like a pharisaical philosophy which Jesus hated to the core when He walked on this earth. 

Whenever we read through this or is reminded about this matter, please pause and think seriously and check our own actions carefully. Otherwise, all is in vain as this letter points out. Jesus went to the cross of calvary and demonstrated His love for each of us and He expects the same from us. Because the everlasting life offered is impossible without this love flowing through us and operating through us. It is the core of Christianity and hence lovelessness is a serious offence and hypocritical in every sense of it. This is the reason why Jesus has sternly warned the church at Ephesus that they will be removed from its prominent place as a church. 

How is our personal love towards our Lord. Are you singing or worshipping out of sincere love towards the Lord or a mere routine? If so, you need total repentance and need to get the matter right, before it is too late. 

Have you of late shared your faith with someone? If you are lacking in sharing the gospel, then there is lack of love in your life towards others. Repent and turn to the Lord for an infilling of the Holy Spirit, then you will again be filled with the Love of God in your heart and you will warmly share your faith with others. 

Point to Ponder: 1Cor 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.