Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. — Revelation 2:4-5
We have talked about how sin often comes slowly, how to keep repentance at the forefront of your mind, how to avoid covetousness by being grateful to God for what He has given you, and how to come to God with your anger and disappointment.
Today we are talking about regaining love for God. You may reply, “I do love God!” You would not be reading this devotional and seeking a closer relationship with Him if you did not love Him. But do you put Him first in everything? That is His hope for all of us, but we have divided hearts and minds. You may put all sorts of things on your plate you think will fill you but only leave you feeling like something is missing.
Today’s passage is about the church in Ephesus. The people were praised for many reasons. They worked hard, they persevered, they did not tolerate wicked people, they endured hardships, and had not become weary. It sounds like they were busy doing a lot of worthwhile things. But in the meantime, their love for God and one another had faded.
1 Corinthians 13:3 reminds us that even if we have faith to move mountains or give everything we own to the poor, these things are nothing if we do not have love.
How much do you love God? I do not mean on a scale of 1-10, but is He the center of your life, and everything you do is an outpouring of your relationship with Him? Or is your plate filled with all sorts of things you love more than God? Only you can answer that.
Sometimes we put all sorts of good works on our plates and forget that what God really wants from us is our love. When we love Him with our heart, mind, soul, and strength, everything else will fall into its proper place in our lives.
To Think/Pray About Today
How much do you love God? A good way to gauge this is to ask how important He is in your life. Is He at the center, or one of many things you value? Is He Lord or is He a consultant?
Prayer Focus: Governor Mike and Fran DeWine and their security team
Cedarville United Presbyterian Church 