Fresh FaithSýnishorn

Rediscovering Your First Love

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first."

(Revelation 2:4 NIV)

Welcome to the Fresh Faith Devotional. As we embark upon the next 5 days together, my prayer is that you truly feel the reigniting of passion in your faith, beyond the mundane nature of simple duty.

Today’s highlighted Scripture is a sobering one.

Jesus is challenging the church in Ephesus that they may do many things, they may work hard, and have patient endurance as a credit to them. However, they have forgotten their First Love – Jesus.

This makes me think of the human kind of romantic relationships some of us experience. We encounter another person who changes our lives forever, we fall in love and experience the "honeymoon phase" where everything is perfect, and we cannot imagine loving that person any more than we already do.

However, we all know what follows the honeymoon phase...life.

Real life sets in and normal routines and rhythms become our normality. What began as dreamy dates in low-lit restaurants become flood-lit microwave meals for 2 at home.

So, the scenario begs the question – how do we keep romance, First Love alive when regular life sets in?

May I make a few suggestions:

1. Get away. This is not always possible for one reason or another, but when you get the chance, interrupt the daily rhythms of your life with Jesus by taking time away with Him. This can be a day trip to the beach, a night in a different location or even a full-blown Jesus holiday! Whatever is possible for you, take the time to be away from responsibilities and distractions and focus on your love for Jesus.
2. Go out. This simply means to get outside with Jesus. If, like me, you are an indoor devotional type of person, taking the time to change place can do fascinating things to your perspective. Take a walk with the Bible playing in your ears or go to a local park and take a blanket and your Bible. Mix it up, friends, and watch newness develop in your time with God.
3. Get up. One of the things that I love to do (when I am being more disciplined) is to get up really early and spend time with Jesus. You may already do this. If so, how about spending an entire day with Jesus. I’m talking an all-nighter, 24 hours in prayer, praise and worship with the Lord! It is sure to shake things up for you and introduce a new pattern to your regular time with the Lord.

These are simple examples of how you can disturb the monotony of the day-to-day and reinvigorate yourself and your time with Jesus. There are many other methods – why not try one? I can guarantee that it will spark new "romance" between you and the Lord if you do.