All Christians long to live pleasing to Jesus Christ. That’s why if Jesus told us He had a criticism for us, many of us would pull out our checklist and grab a pencil.
We’d make our way down the list and ask the Lord:
I have discovered that the weak points in our relationship with God never start with failing in the big things. For example, we would never consider waffling in our morality or our theology. It always comes when we ignore a more basic element.
The church in Ephesus did it. But we don’t have to.
For more than two years, the Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus and ministered to the church in that city. Later, he wrote the letter of Ephesians to them, and later still he penned two letters to their pastor, Timothy.
The Ephesian church received incredible instruction!
Thirty years later, the Holy Spirit inspired John to write yet another letter to the Ephesians within the book of Revelation. Jesus commended them highly. Just look at their checklist:
What a church! But Jesus added, “I have this against you . . .” (Revelation 2:4). “You have left your first love,” Jesus told the Ephesians.
Their relationship with God had grown cold.
Although we feverishly serve the Lord and remain firm in our doctrine, like the Ephesians, we can let our devotion slip–or at least, take a back seat to a busy life.
All these cause us to evaluate our relationship with God. Our serving God should never replace our devotion to Him (John 15:5). Instead, our devotion should fuel our serving. The Lord Jesus points to our first love for Him as the hub from which every other activity should flow.
Have we grown so much in knowledge and service that our love for Jesus has grown cold? Has the Great Commission replaced the great commandment (Matthew 22:36-38)?
Our deeds and our doctrine should form the wake behind our devotion to God. Our first love comes first.
Tell me what you think: What helps you to remember that loving God is most important part of your life? To leave a comment, just click here.
This post is adapted from Wayne’s book, Going Places with God: A Devotional Journey Through the Lands of the Bible.
• These 90 devotional readings, each based on a specific place in the lands of the Bible, will help you apply the truths of God’s Word to your daily journey of faith.
• You’ll enjoy pertinent Scripture, inspirational quotes, photographs, maps, and a daily prayer.
After going places with God, you’ll never be the same.