March 26, 2025 - Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭5‬

“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.” Revelation 2:2-5 ESV

Lord, reading this verse makes us pause and look inward. This church was doing great things for you. The things you listed make it sound like they would have looked like great Christians. But what a horrible tragedy to think we are doing things for you, only to discover that you count it as nothing if what we are doing isn’t fueled by first love. Oh, Lord, don’t let us miss the main thing. Show us if we are toiling for nothing. Please don’t remove your presence from us. Every action we take must be motivated by our love for you. Forgive us for when in our effort to serve you, we forget you. If we start to drift away from our first love with you, reveal it to us. Lord, we thank you that we don’t have to earn your love. You are not looking for servants who do things for you, but lovers who do everything with you. You long for our love, not what we can accomplish for you.

Holy Spirit, please help us discover the love of God on deeper levels. Help us learn to love Jesus fervently, like young lovers who can’t get enough of each other. Stoke the fire of love within us until we are ablaze with a zealous love for you. Stir us so that Jesus is constantly on our mind and is at the heart of all that we do. Let our love for you overflow onto everyone we encounter.

In Jesus name, amen.