Remember Your First Love

From the outside, the Christians in Ephesus looked impressive. Jesus complimented their hard work and perseverance. He praised them because they refused to tolerate wickedness and because they were careful about what they believed. They were a busy bunch. Their church bulletin must have been loaded with news about meetings and ministries. And they were tough. They had remained loyal to the Lord when it would have been easy to give up.

But in spite of all these positive qualities, they lacked one key ingredient. Jesus said, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love." He challenged them, "Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first" (Revelation 2:4, 5). Beautiful church buildings mean nothing if they aren't filled with God's love. Impressive church programs mean nothing if they aren't motivated by love. The Christians at Ephesus were doing the right things, but for the wrong reasons. Their love for Christ had wilted like a Christmas tree in February. It was as stale as a piece of wedding cake a week after the wedding, as droopy as a rose that's gone for days without water. The spark was gone. Christ was no longer their daily bread; he had become little more than a sentence on the menu.

Love changes and matures through the years, but there are some things about "first love" we should never outgrow. There's a simplicity about first love. The one you love is the focus of your attention, always on your mind. There's an eagerness about first love, like the way a child listens to the radio on a snowy day to see if the schools are closed. There's a lavishness about first love. You don't hold back. You're willing to spend the extra money, give the extra gift, go the extra mile. There's a vitality about first love. You don't watch the clock when you're with that special person. You're hopeful, optimistic, focused on the future. There's a single-mindedness about first love. Nothing else seems to matter. You're eager to please, learn about, and talk about the one you love. And so it should be with our love for Christ.

This time of year, thousands walk across the stage and receive their high school or college diplomas. Parents and graduates feel proud and relieved. It's a time to celebrate accomplishments and look toward the future. Congratulations, graduates. But I urge you, never lose your first love. If you succeed in business and make lots of money but neglect your love for Christ, you will end up lonely and cynical. You can make the dean's list and graduate with honors, but academic achievements alone won't satisfy your soul. If you use your freedom merely to pursue your own personal pleasure, you'll end up unfulfilled.

Keep Jesus first in your priorities. Don't let anything else crowd out the Lord.

Keep Jesus first in your schedule. Give him the first moments of your day and the first day of your week. Take time to pray. Stay connected to the church. Discover and use your spiritual gifts.

Keep Jesus first in your finances. Don't pile up credit card debts and enslave yourself to student loans. Develop early the habit of tithing. And don't worry about the future. God isn't a slave to the job market or the stock market, and neither are you. Trust him to guide and provide.

Above all, keep Jesus first in your heart. "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Before you ever loved anyone else and before you were aware of anyone else's love, God loved you. Give him your best.