Revelation begins with 7 letters to 7 churches. These letters are meant to be seen on a few levels. One is that it is spoken to the individual believer. I’ll examine that level here in this post.
In essence, Jesus tells the believers in the church at Ephesus, that He is very pleased that they stand strong in Jesus, and do not tolerate false doctrine. This is necessary and highly needed and commendable.
The one thing He says they have done is that they have forgotten their first love. He then says repent from that and return to your first love. That’s the only instruction they get.
So what does He mean. I believe He showed me today and shed some new light on this and Id love to share it.
I started thinking of my first love. Then immediately I knew what He meant. My first love was when Jesus saved me. He pulled me from the pit. He pulled me out of darkness and into His marvelous light. I was lost.
My heart then, has to be that fresh and that eager towards the lost sheep. Some lost sheep are easy to be pitiful towards. Some are not. It’s the are nots He is referencing.
I think it is very easy to get in a place where we have walked so long with Him and have enjoyed the fellowship of walking with a clean heart and in pure fellowship, that we can lose a tenderness for the ones who are now just where we once were…lost. No matter how different the state of being lost can look in people, one thing is sure…lost is lost.
God has said that I have nothing wasn’t given to me by Him. He didn’t save me because I was good or better or best. He saved me because He delighted in me. I was in a pit. I was just as lost and in some cases just as contemptible as the worst of the lost sheep. Yet, He saved me. I remember that love.
Jesus said you love Me because I loved you first. I love Jesus because He loves me. His love made me love Him.
To forget our first love then , I believe, is referring to an attitude of dismissal, impatience, anger and frustration towards those who have not seen what I’ve seen…yet.
So what are we to do to repent and do the first things, remembering our first love? I know! Have mercy on the lost. Turn dismissal and frustration into prayer for those lost who could be lost sheep.
Whether they are lost or lost but soon to be found sheep, we don’t know and it is not our business to know. But our business is to remember the pit, from which we were dragged, and maintain that new, humble, eager heart to go out then and seek the lost! Tell them Who you know! Have mercy and pray and hope against all things. Why?
It’s because Jesus saves. Yes He does. Jesus saves and makes all things new.
Let’s repent then of the tendencies to think we are better in any way than the least of these. Then, return to and stay in, the lowly and humble heart when you were freshly saved and pulled from darkness into His marvelous light.
He does all things well.