_{"Youth Corner"}

"Your First Love"

Revelation 2:3-5: “I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. ⁴But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent. ESV”

On many occasions, God has compared his relationship with us, with that of a husband and wife.  Our relationship with God can be like a marriage that started out with a hopeful honeymoon but soon began to come apart at the seams.  Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus?  Have you ever been in love with Christ?

Your sins were forgiven, perhaps walls of anger, bitterness, and doubt, came crashing down, and the aching void in your life was suddenly filled with God Himself!  You were flooded with joy and a peace that passed all human understanding.  You looked forward to praying, reading your Bible.  Do you remember?  Have you ever felt this way?

As Americans, we are often told to distrust our feelings.  This is a true statement, feelings can be an unpredictable marker, and thermometer for true discernment.  But, if we never experience feelings for Christ, or our spouse for that matter, do we truly have the love that Jesus calls for?  Do we have the devotion that’s paramount for a healthy relationship with him? 

When asked what’s the most important commandment Jesus answers: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30 NIV).  This seems to denote some emotion, some passion.  To love God with all of our being, feelings will be involved.

So the question remains:  have you left your first love?