FIRST LOVE
We were huddled in small groups, sharing our summer adventures on the first day of sixth grade. Suddenly everything in my world changed. In she walked, as I gasped at her beauty. Her name was Connie. In my memory, her raven hair was blowing in the wind, rays of sunlight beaming from her face, as the song “Endless Love” played in the background—which actually wasn’t written for several decades. It was as if I’d viewed the world in black and white, and suddenly I could see in technicolor. My first love.
Upon arriving home, I faced a gargantuan problem. I had pledged lifetime membership in “Girl-Haters Anonymous." Having proclaimed for years that girls have cooties, I couldn’t admit to my family that I was in love with a young lady. So in their presence, I was forced to maintain my charade.
Ah, remember your first love? Or if you’re married, how you first felt when you fell in love with your spouse? You could think of nothing else, and as his bride, Jesus desires that passion from us.
If ever there was a church that should have exuded passion for Jesus, it was Ephesus. Paul planted the church and lived there longer than anywhere else. Following his departure, Timothy led the church (1 Timothy 1:3). History states the apostle John lived in the city, and died there, caring for Mary, Christ’s mother, who also resided there until her death. With all these points of contact, their passion for Christ must have burned hotter than a Texas branding iron!
Yet, in Revelation 2:4 Jesus tells the Ephesians, “You have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning” (TPT). How? Because first love tends to fade. As unromantic as it sounds, in marriage we must work to maintain our passion. Left unattended, relationships can become as stale as a bag of bread without a twist tie, including our love for Jesus.
Psalm 84:2 records, “Deep within me are these lovesick longings, desires and daydreams of living in union with you.” Now that’s passion!
My love for Connie faded over time, and rarely have I thought of her through the years. Why? I didn’t pursue my first love. Lest that happen with Jesus, we must invest in our “marriage” with our bridegroom. Spend time with him. Meditate on his love for you. In these times of uncertainty, it’s critical to remember our first love.
Principle: In these times of uncertainty, let’s remember our first love for Jesus.
Ponder:
On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your passion for Jesus?
How can you maintain or restore your first love for Him?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Psalm 84.
Prayer: “Jesus, my heart beats with love for you. Yet it so easily fades. During those times, draw me close to your heart and remind me of our first love.
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