Return to Your First Love
Pastor Victoria Sowell
“Yet this I hold against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” | Revelation 2:4
Jesus is calling us back to First Love
The Cultural Perception of First Love
First love is often seen as a fleeting, naive experience. It's portrayed in movies and books as sweet and innocent, but rarely lasting. Why is that? It could be due to immaturity, selfish intent, conflicts, or the fear of missing out on something better. In society, first love is often reduced to a learning experience, something we outgrow as we mature.
Jesus’ Counter-Cultural Message
Contrary to this cultural view, Jesus' message to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4 is a call to return to their first love. He rebukes them for forsaking the love they had at first, emphasizing that while their devotion to truth remains, their hearts are no longer in it. He urges them to repent and do the things they did at first, highlighting the importance of maintaining that initial passion and devotion.
The Spirituality Jesus Upholds
Jesus values the qualities we often overlook. He elevates the poor in spirit, dignifies the marginalized, and welcomes children. He cherishes weakness, weeping, worry, and desperation as precious gifts. His attention is on those who reach out to Him with yearning and willingness, not those who are proud and self-sufficient. This spirituality is counter to the world's standards but aligns with Jesus' heart.
Jesus Is Love
The Grand Gesture of Love
At His core, Jesus is love. He demonstrated the greatest act of love by dying on the cross for humanity. His ministry was marked by a deep, sacrificial love that disrupted the status quo. The resurrection was a testament to this love, and His charge to Peter on the beach was a call to love and follow Him wholeheartedly.
The Command to Love
Jesus emphasized that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others (Matthew 22). This love is the essence of being His disciples. It's a devoted, desperate, deep, and undivided love that keeps God at the center of our lives. It's what distinguishes true followers of Christ.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” | Ezekiel 36:26
The Bride and the Bridegroom
The Analogy in Scripture
Scripture often uses the analogy of a Bridegroom and His Bride to describe God's relationship with the Church. This imagery is seen in Song of Songs 6:3, Jeremiah 2:2, and Ephesians 5. The invitation to love God intimately is extended to everyone, regardless of their life circumstances. The call is to be loved by God and make Him our beloved.
The Challenge of Intimacy
For many, viewing their relationship with God as a love relationship is uncomfortable. Doubts about its substantiality and the fear of vulnerability can hinder this intimacy. Yet, Jesus' rebuke in Revelation reminds us that works without love are insufficient. Engaging with God from the heart, receiving His perfect love, and letting it transform us is essential.
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." | 1 John 4:10
“In loving me, you made me loveable.” | St. Augustine
Longings and Satisfaction
The Deepest Longings
We all have deep longings for acceptance, care, protection, and being chosen. These longings drive much of our behavior. A world unaware of God's love is lost in its search for fulfillment. Understanding that God alone satisfies our need for love ends this fruitless search.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” | Philippians 4:19
The Analogy of Snacks
Just as eating chips can leave us feeling unsatisfied, turning to temporary sources of fulfillment can leave us spiritually hungry. We need a faith of substance rooted in deep love for God. John Piper noted that our weak hunger for God is often because we are stuffed with other things. Our souls need to make room for the greatness of God's love.
"The weakness of our hunger for God is not because he is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with other things. If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.”
Returning to First Love
The Call to Repent and Return
Jesus' call to repent and return to our first love indicates that we can lose it. Like any relationship, maintaining our first love for God requires devotion and intentional actions. It doesn't always have to be about feeling love but valuing it and acting accordingly.
Practical Steps to Return:
Reflect
Consider where you are in your relationship with God. Reflect on how you got there and what needs to change to return to your first love.
Repent
Identify and turn away from anything that has distanced you from God. Take ownership of your actions and seek to leave behind what harms your relationship with Him.
Receive
Receive God's love afresh. Remember that you are loved completely, known, and accepted by Him. Let His love transform and define you.
Renew
Renew your commitment to your first love. Embrace His mercy and grace, and let His love guide your actions and decisions daily.
Further Reading
Other Links
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