Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: ² “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. ³ I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”

Here is a great example of both support and challenge from the Lord to the church in Ephesus. First he commends them in v.2-3, for the faithful ways. But then he challenges them in v.4, “you have abandoned the love you had at first”. This is not to say that the people have lost faith, but they have lost some of their passion for the Lord, their zeal for the gospel.

What was once an enthusiastic faith has diminished with time.

I have known several cycles in which I have gone from being on fire for the Lord to being a bit lukewarm. And back and forth. In some ways I think this back and forth with the Lord is fairly common if not commendable. Those of you reading this blog post can probably relate as well. This morning I’m considering where I am in terms of my level of passion for the Lord. I was at a pretty low point a year ago, in the depths of the early phases of the pandemic. Today I’m better I think. Am I on fire for the Lord? I don’t think so. I know what that feels like and this isn’t it.

However, I also know that passion for the Lord is not necessarily something we do for ourselves. It is a gift of God given by grace. What we CAN do is regularly and consistently put ourselves in a place to receive from the Lord when the gift of grace comes. Reading the word of God each day and reflecting on that word is one key way to do this – which you are doing right now. In doing so we give the word of God space to do its work in us. Lord let it be so. Amen.