My wife and I once knew a couple who were deeply in love during their days of courtship. They had “that look” that communicated they had found true love. Each thought the other was great, and they were happy to be together. However, after several years, that love began to cool. They spent less time together. He fixed up the garage as his man cave, and she began to go out more at night with her friends. Before long, their love was barely a dying ember, and then it was completely dead. They had lost that first love they had for one another.

When John wrote to “the church of Ephesus” (Revelation 2:1), he was not writing to a future tribulation church, but to a Jewish Kingdom church existing in the early Acts era. Revelation 1:19 gives us an outline for the book. “The things which thou hast seen” (meaning the vision in Chapter One), “and the things which are” (referring to the kingdom churches existing in early Acts and addressed in Chapters 2-3), “and the things which shall be hereafter” (meaning the remainder of Revelation that describes the seven years of Tribulation). This church at Ephesus was to be praised for many things. They had “labour,” (Revelation 2:2) indicating that they were busy seeking to further the cause of Christ. They had “patience,” indicating they endured persecution in faithfulness for the name of Christ (vs. 3). They also would not “bear them which are evil,” referring to false apostles seeking to corrupt their doctrine (vs. 2). Yet for all this activity, the Lord says, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love” (vs. 4). In all their busyness, they were only going through the motions of a spiritual walk with the Lord without the zeal, excitement, or the genuine love for the Lord Jesus that they once possessed. That love had become a dying ember while their hearts were gradually becoming more distant from the Savior whom they once loved with such a pure passion. Busyness for the cause of the Lord, faithfulness while enduring hardship, and intolerance for errant doctrine are good things. But these are not substitutes for a healthy, living, daily, personal, interactive relationship with the Savior.

We believers today can lose the fire of our first love for Christ. Our relationship with Him will become stale and dead unless we give Him priority time, intimately interacting with Him in prayer and His Word. Rekindle your first love with the Lord today.