May 2, 2023 - Revelations 2:2-5

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 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.” Revelations 2:2-5 NLT

Lord, we thank you that you don’t miss anything. You know it all. You see the good and the bad of what we do. I love that here as you speak to the church in Ephesus, you don’t just reprimand them, but you also bring encouragement with the correction. You tell them what they are doing right, but also don’t let the things that need to be corrected slide. You also didn’t automatically punish them, but this is a warning, an encouragement to fix the problem before you bring punishment. Lord, we thank you that you are a caring God who wants the best for us. You don’t correct us because you are a dictator who wants to get his way, but because you are a loving father who wants to see us living the best lives possible. Obeying your commandments will lead us down the path to that life.

Lord, we want to love you passionately. If we have fallen from having a passionate pursuit of you, refresh that in us. Remind us of what it was like to wake up longing to spend time in your presence. Rekindle the fire. Awaken in us a desire to zealously serve you with all that we are. Draw us back to that place before we go to the place where you need to punish us or remove your hand from us. Refresh our love for you and draw us close yet again. You are worthy of the best we have to give you.

In Jesus name, amen.