Do you remember how great grace felt when you first believed?

Revelation 2:4

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

First Love

I remember the very first kiss in my life. It was with a fellow third-grade girl in the alley behind her home. I shall never forget that first kiss. I thought I was in love, but it was really infatuation more than love. Even so, the first time I fell in love in school was a memorable moment. My feet felt light, my arms felt heavy, and my head swam. That sort of describes what it felt like the moment after I was saved; I was so on fire for the Lord. I was told that I was brainwashed by my family, but I said, “That’s okay because my brain was dirty!” They told me that I went overboard. They would catch me praying to God lying flat on the ground on my face. I still prefer that method today, but do I still have that first love? If not, why not? Do I have a tendency to grow lukewarm? I believe we all do after we’ve been saved for a while. But, wow, those whom I see who have just been saved… They are absolutely on fire for God and have a real zeal for the Lord. Do you remember that? Don’t you want that feeling back again?

More Urgency

I believe Paul, like many believers since that time, felt that Jesus’ return was near, and he told the church at Rome with urgency to wake up, that time is short and our salvation is closer now than ever before (Rom. 13:11). There’s nothing wrong at all with watching for His return because Jesus said that is exactly what we should be doing (Mark 13:37), and even James, Jesus’ half-brother, believed that the Lord’s return was close (James 5:8). I think in God’s wisdom, He knew better than to give us a date because, knowing human nature, we’d likely take it easy and relax until the time of His return grew closer. But because we don’t know, I think God wants us to live with an urgent expectancy that He could return at any second! That should compel us to be more on fire for the Lord, at least I think it should.

Rebuking the Lukewarm

Jesus rebuked the lukewarm church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:16 because they weren’t what they thought they were. They thought that they were rich and prosperous and needed nothing, but in reality they were blind, naked, poor, and wretched (Rev. 3:17). They needed a wake-up call because Jesus was saying, in the Greek, that they were making Him sick to His stomach (Rev. 3:16). That Scripture really speaks to me. Am I lukewarm? Do I recall my first love, which is the grace I felt just after being saved? Have I left my first love (Rev. 2:4)? Try to recall the moments after you were saved. What was it like? Do you remember it? Has anything changed? Food for thought for the both of us, isn’t it?

A Closing Prayer

Oh Mighty God Who saved me, please forgive the times when I take for granted the enormous cost that Your Son paid, Who had to die for me, a wretch, and that I was so undeserving. Please reignite the fire and passion that I felt when grace was first given to me, and in Jesus’ Holy Name I pray.

Amen