Returning to Your First Love: A Call to Renewed Devotion

Today is all about the healing of our hearts. He wants to restore within you the love that once burned brightly.

In Revelation 2, we encounter the church of Ephesus—a congregation doing everything right on the surface. They worked hard, persevered through trials, tested false teachers, and remained patient. Jesus acknowledged all of this, saying, "I know your works, your labor, your patience."
This should encourage every teacher who spends countless hours preparing lessons that seem to fall on deaf ears. It should strengthen every worship team member who practices in obscurity. It should uplift every intercessor who prays when no one else is watching. Jesus sees. He knows. He recognizes the sacrifices made in His name.
But then comes the correction that shakes everything: "Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love."

The church at Ephesus hadn't lost their first love—they had left it. This distinction matters tremendously. What we lose requires searching; what we leave can be returned to. They were still going through the motions, still performing their religious duties, still maintaining the appearance of devotion. But somewhere along the way, their hearts had grown cold.
This happens more often than we'd like to admit. A marriage that once thrived on passion becomes a series of obligations. A faith that once set our souls on fire becomes a Sunday morning routine. We know the right words to say, the right songs to sing, the right postures to assume—but the love has leaked out somewhere between the doing and the being.

When we truly love something, it shows. Parents can't stop talking about their children. Sports fans paint their faces and wear their team's colors. Coffee enthusiasts know every brewing method and bean origin. We invest time, energy, and resources into what we love.
Jesus is worthy of that same—no, greater—devotion. He deserves more enthusiasm than we give our hobbies, more attention than we give our entertainment, more passion than we give our careers. If we put half the energy into our relationship with Christ that we put into our worldly pursuits, the church would be unrecognizable.
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." Our love for Christ reveals itself in our Spotify playlists, our Netflix queues, our conversation topics, and our treatment of others. We love others best when we love God most. You cannot claim to love God while harboring hatred for your neighbor. You cannot say you follow Jesus while living according to the patterns of this world.

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works," Jesus instructs the Ephesian church. This call to remember is crucial. We forget so quickly. Studies show that within one week, we forget 90 percent of what we've learned if we don't revisit it.
This is why we need constant reminders of who God is and what He's done. We need to recall the day we first said yes to Jesus. We need to remember the depression He lifted, the addiction He broke, the marriage He restored, the purpose He revealed. Set reminders on your phone if you must—whatever it takes to keep the goodness of God fresh in your mind.

Peter knew what it meant to forget his first love. Three times he denied knowing Jesus, driven by fear and self-preservation. But the story doesn't end there. Jesus offered Peter another chance, and He offers us the same today.

Here's the beautiful truth: a relationship with Jesus that has grown cold can be rekindled. A passion that has faded can be renewed. A love that has been left can be reclaimed.
This isn't about performing better or trying harder. It's about stripping away the performance, the pretense, and the pride, and returning to the simplicity of loving Christ. It's about acknowledging where we've wandered and choosing to come home.
Jesus is coming back for His bride—a glorious church, prepared and ready. This preparation isn't about perfection; it's about devotion. It's about staying ready, not just getting ready on Sunday mornings. It's about living every moment with the awareness that we belong to Him.

When we walk by the Spirit, we won't fulfill the desires of the flesh. What the Spirit craves is contrary to what the flesh craves. As we say yes to God over and over again, our internal desires begin to change. We stop craving the validation of people and start longing for the presence of God. We stop chasing worldly success and start pursuing heavenly purpose.
This transformation happens when we refuse to speak death over our circumstances and instead speak life. When we stop agreeing with symptoms and start declaring God's Word. When we change our words, we change our world.

We serve Rapha—the Lord who heals. This healing extends to every broken area of our lives: physical bodies, troubled minds, fractured relationships, financial struggles, and most importantly, our relationship with Him.
The same Jesus who performed miracles two thousand years ago is still performing them today. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He's inviting us to experience Him, not just read about Him. To witness His power, not just study it. To walk in the supernatural authority He's given us.
Today is your divine appointment. Whether you need physical healing, mental restoration, or a renewed love for Jesus, He's extending His hand toward you. Don't let pride, fear, or complacency keep you from responding.
Return to your first love. Remember what He's done. Repent of the ways you've wandered. And watch as He makes all things new.