Return to First Love
Jesus had one thing against the church at Ephesus, even though He knew they were doing many of the right things. They were patiently enduring. They were doctrinally pure. They were pushing back against the progressive liberal theologians of their day. They were even persevering in the face of persecution from the pagan culture around them. He saw their works, their service, and their refusal to grow weary in it all. Then Jesus said this: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4 ESV).
We tend to read a verse like this and picture Jesus, as the Judge, striking His gavel against the sound block and pronouncing His sentence, but we need to see this as Jesus, the One who loves His Church, simply saying, “You’re doing the right things, but your heart isn’t in it anymore. I miss the passion that you used to have for Me. I miss you. I miss the way that we used to be. I miss the way you used to worship and serve Me.” Jesus was calling the Ephesians back to the flames of first love. He is calling us today to do the same—to return to the passion and zeal of first love.
Emotions Follow Actions
Sometimes, we can become so busy with serving God that we forget the first commandment is to love God. As Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV). That’s our first priority. We keep that priority first by doing certain things. Another way of saying this is emotions follow actions. And the way to get the emotions back is to do those actions. If we’ve stopped doing those actions, then we must go back and begin to do them once again.
Jesus told the Ephesians what they needed to do to restore first love: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first” (Revelation 2:5 ESV).
Remember
The first thing Jesus calls us to do is remember. What was the last time you reminisced about the moment Jesus saved you? Where were you when He saved you by His grace? Or when you were baptized in water? When was the last time you encountered His Presence in such a way that you didn’t want it to end? Remember?
Remember means looking back at a time when your heart overflowed with God’s love for you. The apostle John said, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19 ESV). Do you know that you are Jesus’ first love? You are His Bride. The reason why Jesus went to the cross was because He loved you. When He was on the cross, He was thinking about you.
And when you remember His love for you—when you take that step—suddenly your love for Him starts to flow and grow. Recognizing Jesus bore your sins, your shame, your curse, and your death—all for love—rekindles the flame. Passion and zeal emerge fresh and new.
Repent
When you remember that He first loved you, that flame in Jesus’ heart catches onto the dry timber of your own. It strikes and can bring conviction. You can feel Him lovingly bring correction, touching on something that is hindering love. In moments like that, we say with the psalmist David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139: 23–24 ESV).
So, we let God examine us. We examine ourselves under the light of the Holy Spirit. We confess where we have fallen. We say, “God, I’ve gotten dry. I’ve gotten bitter. I’ve gotten distracted. I’ve gone after other loves. I repent. I ask for You to forgive me. Help me to love You like You love me.” And then we set our heart on a continued journey of pursuit of Him.
Love
I’m reminded of God’s call to Israel and Judah to return to Him. God said through the prophet Hosea, “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6 ESV). He says to us today, “I want your love.” That’s what Jesus told the church at Ephesus. He knows our works. He knows there are some things we are doing that are good and right. He does want us to keep doing those things, but He wants our hearts. He wants your heart, your love. And He will be unrelenting until He gets it.
Jesus said, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40 NLT). Above all, Jesus calls us to love. Love Him completely. Love Him wholly. And when we return to first love—when our loving Him is our first priority—that love will go out to others.
