Here is a copy of a letter from Jesus to the church at Ephesus in the first century, as given to John as he was in the Spirit praying …
Revelation 2:2-7. "I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can't stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. But you walked away from your first love – why? What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall! Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I'm well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle. You do have this to your credit: You hate the Nicolaitan business. I hate it, too. Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree- of- Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard." Message Bible
What stood out to you as relevant for God's people today? For you personally?
Is it time to remember, to repent, or to return?
Familiarity can become one of the great enemies of life. Romance turns into routine. That which was once precious becomes merely common. What is truly special becomes just ordinary. It is so easy to
take things in life for granted.
Someone once defined “religion”
as going through the motions without any feelings. The result is apathy. We become emotionally
dead – we don't dance, they we sing, we don't laugh, we don't feel, so
we don't do. Apathy isn't a state of mind; it's a state of heart. Apathy = a/pathos or without
passion.
The church at Ephesus started with an incredible revival that impacted the entire region (see Acts 19). Yet over the decades they drifted from the love they had at the first. The routines of church life continued but the fire of passion had diminished significantly. Jesus called them back to their first love. Jesus is more interested in the authenticity and warmth of our relationship with him than all we may be doing for him. How easy to get caught up in the work of the Lord and forget the Lord of the work.
May the Spirit of God kindle afresh our love for him and for each other today.