“You have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4)

Every saint should be able to tell, because they lived through it, what God did for them. From prevenient illumination to the radical change wrought by regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the stories have many things in common. For every saint, salvation is a familiar story of confusion to clarity, guilt to innocence, failure to victory. The guilt was relieved, the peace flooded the soul, the walk of obedience begun. Gradually, the Old Man was replaced by the New Man and the Holy Spirit became a dependable Helper. These were the days of growth in Christ.

God planted a good seed in us, and the seed grew: “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Yes, your love burned with a holy flame – but is it the same now? Could Christ say to you, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love”? (Revelation 2:4). Has your love diminished gradually, and now you’re lukewarm? Are you willing to admit,  you stopped doing the things that kept you close to Him? Are you ready to start doing those things again?

Christ says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Revelation 2:5). Did you pray more? Then, pray at least as much now. Did you read Scripture more? Read more than you did before. Did you help people more? Help more people than you did before. Did you do daily devotions? Start them up again. Did you participate in a church? Go to the pastor and ask him what you can do to help. You already know God is real. If you want to see who’s changed, look in the mirror. Do the first works.