Verse of the Day 8/21

Revelation 2:3-4  I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. ⁴ But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].  Amplified Bible (AMP)

In this passage Jesus is speaking to the church at Ephasus but just as well could be speaking to many modern day churches.  The passage starts with a commendation on how they have endured hardship and persevered.  But churches and individuals can become distracted and lose focus of the important things.  The Amplified translation captures this, it is a process of abandonment, deserting, walking away from God.

 

In a recent devotional Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "Jesus did not tell them they lost their first love. You don't lose it; you leave it. If you lose something, you don't know where it is. Hence, it is lost. I lose stuff all of the time. But leaving is different. If I leave something, I know where it is. Therefore, I can come back to it. If I lose something, however, I don't know where it is."

People walk away from God feeling that they can come back to it at a time that is, will be, convenient for them.  In the process they are actually walking away from the love of their lives.

 

Laurie continues, "What does this mean? Their devotion had turned to duty. They had motion, but they lost the emotion. They had substituted labor for love and work for worship and perspiration for inspiration. These Ephesians believers had been so busy maintaining their separation, they were neglecting their adoration. "

 

"They had motion, but lost the emotion".  May it not describe our love for God, His church or our spouses and loved ones.

 

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Revelation 2:3-5  New Living Translation (NLT)

³ You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

⁴ "But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first!⁵  Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.