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First Love In the first part of Revelation chapter 2, God addresses the church at Ephesus, saying in essence, "I know all about what you are doing, and you have a lot of good things in place. But there is one thing I have against you, that you have lost your first love." We often believe that the first love God talks about is our love for Him. As a result, we set out to either be sure we properly love God, or we attempt to whip up some love for Him. However, scripture defines scripture, and our assumptions get us into trouble when we do not seek His mind on things. God has clearly told us that, "We love because HE first loved us." (1 John 4:19) The first love we have lost is NOT our love for Him, but the awareness of His overwhelming love for us.My challenge is this: Ask the Lord to give you a glimpse of His love for you. As you ask Him to reveal His love, be prepared. God clearly shows in His word that whenever people catch a glimpse of Him, it is more than they can bear. Not because He is so terrible, but because His love is overwhelming and all consuming, making us feel as if we will fall to pieces or explode. This is illustrated in the story, "The Golden Key" written by George Macdonald. One of the characters, Tangle, meets up with "the child" and describes him this way: "There was such an awfulness of absolute repose on the face of the child that Tangle stood dumb before him. He had no smile, but the love in his large gray eyes was deep as the centre. And with the repose there lay on his face a shimmer as of moonlight, which seemed as if any moment might break into such a ravishing smile as would cause the beholder to weep himself to death…. The child drew near and looked up in her [Tangle’s] face so that she burst into tears…." Receiving Jesus’ love into our lives is a moment-by-moment occurrence, not just a one-time occasion. Let Him love you with your heart wide open. As you grow in the awareness of His love for you, you will respond by loving God. This in turn will result in a love for others that will totally amaze you. Verses For Reflection "…Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life." Jude 21 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-20 |
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