First Love

Something to think about.

First Love

² “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³ I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Revelations 2:2-4

Have we become so busy in the doing that we have lost the reason for the doing? We have become too distracted in the doing of Christianity to even notice we have drifted from the cause of our doing. There are too many of us pointing out the shortcomings of others like us. Some of us are consumed with correcting the lot of us. We nick pick the leader, we question their motivations we condemn their methods. We demand perfect righteousness.

We should question our leaders and are ourselves against the standard of Christ.  We should put Christ at the head of all we do and use what He taught us a standard of behavior and morality. All of this should be employed;  this is what the church in Ephesus was doing. But even after doing all of this Christ says to them I have "this" against you. "You have abandoned the love you had at first." We need to stop nick picking each other on obscure or even flagrant disagreements in theology. We need to return to the reason we stay in the body of Christ. Why we identify with Christ. The reason is a love relationship. "The greatest of these is love" the bible does say.  It is through love that we understand who God is. It is love that explains and validates the word of God. It is love that is the fuel, the passion of God. It is the motivation for the sacrifice of His Son.

If we focus on the cause of our conviction, it will purify our actions. If love permeates our thoughts and actions, we will be righteous. There is no sin in love there is no injustice in love there is no selflessness in love. God prefers we become experts in love rather than in theology, doctrine, and righteousness. 

Let this not overwhelm you, you are not to love the world. Love, those around you, love those God has put in your life for this season for this time. Love those whom you can. If everyone loved those around them, then everyone would be loved.  

Let God be your first love, let Him be the receiver of your love. In this relationship with Him, you will find the love you need for yourself and all others. Love comes from God not from us. To receive the most from God you need to first love Him. We need to keep Gods love in the forefront of our minds. What is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all of your heart soul and mind, and the second Love your neighbor as your self.