What happened to love?
A few days ago we celebrated Valentine’s Day with all the manifestations of love that characterize it. But what happens to love after this day? It’s good to have a day to celebrate love, but the fact that there is a day dedicated to this celebration makes me wonder why this day has to be different from others. Shouldn’t we celebrate love every day?
Expressing love should not be limited to a specific day; love should be a matter of every day. Unfortunately this a situation that we see in our relationships with others as well as in our relationship with God.
But I have this against you; that you have abandoned the love you had at first. – Revelation 2: 4
Jesus complained to the church at Ephesus that they no longer loved him the same way. Jesus recognized that this was a hardworking, loyal, patient and suffering church (v.2-3). But despite all these qualities, the absence of their first love (the love that united them to Christ) was reason enough for His presence (the lampstand) to be removed from the midst of the church.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. – Revelation 2: 5
Jesus definitely sees a relation between their love and their works (the love you had at first…do the works you did at first). But if this church was still actively doing works, why does he sees a difference? The problem is not a lack of work, rather the problem is the source for these works: the love that guided them to their first works, versus works done probably as a result to the commitment to the mission but lacking their first love as the source.
Our daily routine can easily lead to work for Jesus without necessarily taking time to have a relationship with him. We cannot live our Christian life without a daily relationship with our Lord. This can lead us to being accused of neglecting our first love; a condition that requires repentance.
There is a saying that says ‘To remember is to live again’. Help us Lord, to live our lives remembering and enjoying every day the first love that united us to our savior!
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