First Love

"Yet I hold this against you:

You have forsaken the love you had at first.

Consider how far you have fallen!

Repent and do the things you did at first.

If you do not repent,

I will come to you

and remove your lampstand from its place."

Revelation 2:4-5

He is fired up and so in love.  This new believer can't stop talking about the difference the love of God has made in his life.  He is eager to study God's Word and can't wait to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ.  

As I listened to my new brother in Christ gush over the Lord, I thought about my own heart.  Am I as in love as this man is with His Lord and Savior?  Jesus sees all I do and He knows how hard I work for Him, how I stand for the Truth and against evil.  He even notices the way I keep going when times get hard.  In all my efforts, though, there is one thing that must drive it all:  Love.  This is what I see in the heart of this man, and this is what others should see in me as well.

Love for God

It drove Him to the cross, compelled her to reach out to those who tortured her and induced him to see his sickness as a conduit of God's grace.  Love for God motivates many to do radical things out of obedience to His calling.  In fact, Jesus Himself made the ultimate sacrifice that benefits you and me out of love for His Father and a desire to do His will.  (Philippians 2:8)  

Love is not merely a word I say to express an emotion I feel toward my Father.  Instead, love is an action manifested in my obedience to Him.  (1 John 2:5)  So then, my love for God is to be my true motivation for all that I do.  Many times, though, I find myself serving out of a sense of obligation, or a desire to feel helpful or needed, or because I feel guilty for how I've failed or fallen short.  

The work I do for God may look good on the outside and make myself feel useful, but to God it is only busywork.  (Isaiah 29:13)  Just as Jesus told Martha that what her sister, Mary, had chosen was more important, so I must constantly realign my heart to beat as one with my Lord's.  (Luke 10:38-42)  My connection to Him is what truly matters, and everything else will then flow from Him as a natural extension of His love.  (John 15, Philippians 2:12-13)

When I focus all my attention on cultivating a love for God I will desire to only do as He bids.

Love For Brothers

He was only 8 years old but his love for his new siblings was obvious.  He patiently helped them negotiate the strange new world of their adoptive family.  He comforted them when they became afraid and he made them laugh when their hearts grew heavy.  Matthew demonstrated a deep, abiding love for a brother and sister whom he had never met.

In the same way my little friend welcomed his new family members from China, so I can love my siblings in Christ even if I have never met them.  It is the love of God that flows through me, giving me the desire to stand with my faith family through thick and thin.  His love impels me to encourage those who are feeling downhearted, to give a helping hand to those who are overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life, and to come alongside a brother or sister who doesn't know which way to turn.

As my love for God grows stronger, I will find it flowing out to those with whom I connected to by faith.

Love for the Lost

"Father, Forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 NET)  Jesus made this prayer as He hung in agony on the cross.  Looking upon the wretchedness of humankind as He died at their hands, instead of condemning them, he asked His Father for grace and mercy for their ignorance.

As I grow in my love for God, experiencing the flow that is released toward others, I will soon find a similar compassion for those who don't know Jesus.  Where once I would grind my teeth in frustration at the offensive behavior of my neighbors, my aggravation turns to consideration as my eyes are opened to their plight; my own sinful nature is equally as annoying as theirs.

While I used to think everyone has the same opportunity as I to accept Jesus as their Savior, now I understand the role God plays in the timing of a quickened heart.  Only those who are drawn to Jesus can see their need for Him. (John 6:44)  Until then, it is my job to show them the love of God.

It was common for me to want to look out for myself and protect my family by staying away from those who live a life of risk and jeopardy   Now, as the love of God grows in me I find myself drawn to those who are stuck in a prison of hopelessness, desiring to show them the way of life.

The love of God not only flows out to my faith family, but also ignites in me a compassion for those who are lost.

It is easy to get into a religious-type mindset when it comes to God.  I work, I stand up, I fight and I persevere.  The trouble comes, however, when I forget the one thing that will last:  LOVE.  (1 Corinthians 13:13)  God's love will draw me to Himself, flow out from me toward my brothers and sisters in Christ, and develop into a kindness and concern for those who don't yet know Jesus.  By cultivating this love relationship with God, I will stay true to my first love.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep love at the forefront of my mind.

How do I let my obligation to serve in the church overshadow the relationship I have with God?

When do I press on, doing what I've always done with nary a thought for the One who is waiting to lead me?