Happy Valentine's Day
“You don’t love me as you first did” Rev 2 v 4
Can you remember your first love? How it felt when your heart raced and your palms got all sweaty, you couldn’t eat or sleep and the sound of the person’s voice or even the mention of their name set your heart a flutter. Maybe your experiencing that right now or perhaps it was so many years ago that you feel all warm and nostalgic just thinking about it.
Whether they are distant memories or you’re experiencing the dizzy heights of love at present, that wonderful feeling of intimacy, belonging and love is precious. It’s on days like today, Valentine’s Day, when we celebrate love, new and old. It reminds me of when I first became a Christian, everything was new. The bible says we have become a new creation. For a new Christian it is an exciting time, a lot like falling in love for the first time. Filled with enthusiasm, bursting to tell others about our new love - Jesus..
And who wouldn’t be? His love is amazing! It doesn’t have boundaries, it’s everlasting, patient, kind and truly out of this world. The beauty of a love relationship with Jesus is that he takes you in his arms just as you are. You don’t need to dress up, you don’t need to have it altogether, it doesn’t matter what your past looks like or how many times you have messed up. You just need to be you. So if you don’t know the love of Jesus, then why not go on a date with the greatest love of all. Why not set a table for you and him to dine. Listen to his voice, read his word, lie in his arms and enjoy his presence. I promise you, you will not be disappointed and you won’t need to worry about whether or not he is going to call you afterwards, as he will never leave you or abandon you.
But like any marriage or precious relationship we need to make the effort, we have to be dedicated. Successful marriages exist when husbands and wives talk to each other rather than talking at each other, there is a difference. Our relationship with Jesus is the same. Our time with Jesus needs to be precious, we must find time not just to talk at him but also to sit quietly listening to his voice. It’s only then will we truly know his heart.
The church in Laodicea learnt this lesson. We read about it in Revelation Chapter 2. They had experienced the dizzy heights of that new first love with Christ. They were on fire for Jesus, his teachings and were communicating that with the world. However over a period of time that relationship began to suffer. Other “stuff” just got in the way. Greed, selfishness, worldly ambitions and desires. John writes in verse 4 “do not forsake your first love”. They had forgotten just how precious their relationship with Christ was, they stopped being enthusiastic. They chose to spend time doing other things than hanging out with Jesus. Their hearts were no longer on fire but lukewarm.
Is that you today? Have you forgotten that precious, crazy, exciting love of Jesus? Maybe you have been a Christian a long time and that moment when you first fell for him is buried far in the past. Maybe today you need to resurrect those memories, get out that scrapbook and remember just how much he loves you and that there is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. Why not set a table this Valentine’s day and invite him to dine with you and tell him again just how much he means to you and how much you love him. Make him your first love.
For there is no one that loves you as much as he does.
Until next time
Debbie