REVELATION 2:1-7 – “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘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. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 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. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”
THEME OF THE DAY: PROCEED WITH CAUTION…DANGER AHEAD. It would be a good thing for us to put today’s theme ever before our eyes as we enter each day. Like driving on a mountainous curvy road and reading a sign “Dangerous Curve Ahead” or “Falling Rocks Ahead”.
Such warnings cause us to be more alert in our driving, and when it comes to the spiritual life, the posture of being alert, vigilantly on watch is the call for every Christian. Jesus exhorts His disciples while entering His intense trial in the Garden of Gethsemane – “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). The Apostle Peter gives the same strong exhortation – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
When it comes to being alert to the dangers in the Christian life, there are many. Yet, we may point all of them to the chief danger. Lose this battle, and all is lost. Allow this spiritual condition to overtake us and gone is our enjoyment of the Christian life. Gone is the reality of walking with Jesus Christ. And to really feel the seriousness of this sin, settle into today’s scripture and the stern condemnation the Lord brings to the church at Ephesus. It applies to us as well.
How does one begin the decline to a loss of first love for Christ? Not to oversimplify things, but all it takes is to start being spiritually negligent. Start missing daily reading of God’s Word or doing so in a hurry. Reduce prayer to just a few words over a meal, and don’t pray with other Christians. Be inconsistent in church attendance, let the world with all its distractions get more of our time, energy, and affection than the things and people of God, and we will be like the Ephesian believers in no time. And with that comes the displeasure and discipline of the Lord. And here is the really scary part – the church at Ephesus had good ministry, good doctrine, and defended the faith, yet the main thing was abandoned.
Life is a battlefield, and the fight is for our heart. The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh seek to draw our affections away from Christ as the chief object in our hearts and lives. Be on guard against their tactics. This is a battle we must not lose.
PRAYER: Father, guard my heart from losing zeal for Your glory, and first love for Your Son.
REFLECTION: Nothing in life is more important than guarding our heart’s affection for the Lord Jesus.