First Love – Revelations 2:4-5

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place– unless you repent.

Those who cherish their relationship with Jesus Christ, making Him their first love, shine with his glory, and praise for Him flows naturally from their lips.  They live in the awareness of His presence, and they consider Him in all their actions, for their hearts’ desire is to please Him.

They have not grown complacent like those who, having allowed the blaze in their hearts to burn out, take Him for granted.  Rather than lukewarm devotion, they find spending time with Him more pleasing than the pursuit of the pleasures offered by this world.  He is to them more desirable than gold, sweeter than the drippings of the honeycomb.[1]  They rejoice and are glad in Him, extolling His magnificence and excellence.[2]  He is a seal over their hearts for their love for Him is so strong that torrential rains cannot quench its fire, overflowing rivers cannot drown its flames.[3]

Do you remember the joy that filled you when you first met Jesus?  I do.  Nothing could restrain my love for Him.  My desire to tell the world about His wonders was a floodtide that no dike could hold back.  Yet, through the years, I have allowed my zeal to lessen.  This should not be, and I need to return to my first love.

If you miss loving Him with the abandon of a new bride and want to walk once again in the irrepressible excitement of knowing Him, desiring to feel once more the uncontainable joy of your salvation,[4] go back to where you took your first steps away from Him.  Return to the detour where you first allowed other thoughts and desires to distract you from your truest and most faithful love.  From there, repent and resolve to hold fast to Him,[5] residing with Him with an awe-stricken heart as you did at the beginning of your love affair.

Lord, bring us back to You, to the place where You abide, for You are our Beloved and You are our Friend,[6] and we belong by Your side.

Take me back to my Beloved

    Back to where I turned away

Restore the joy of my salvation

   Take me back to Him, this day

Dress me in linen for my Bridegroom

   And braid white lilies in my hair

I must return to where I left Him

   To be once more His lady fair

[1] Psalm 19:10

[2] Song of Solomon 1:4

[3] Song of Solomon 8:6-7

[4] Psalm 51:12

[5] Deuteronomy 11:22

[6] Song of Solomon 5:16