Return to your first love.

     Many couples begin their married life passionately devoted to one another. The things that they do for each other are motiviated by love. Their main concern is to do what is best for their spouse, to do those things that will make their spouse happy. All this flowing out of deep, passionate, love, taking no thought of self.
     Years later, many couples are still doing many of the same things. They still provide for each other, still do things together, but something has changed. The passion is gone, habit and routine have replaced love as the motivating factor. One or both of the marriage partners are living for themselves. On the surface things may still look fine, but under the surface things are beginning to decay.

     This is the same with our relationship with Jesus Christ.

     I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.
     Revelation 2:2,3 (NASB)

     Look at all the things this group of believers were doing! They did far more than many christians do today! They endured through all forms of trial and testing. No doubt they suffered persecution for their faith. They did not allow false teaching, they tested apostles and had nothing to do with evil men, things that the church today has largely forsaken! This group was doing all the right things, things that anyone who loved Christ would do.
     Read on and see what Jesus thought of all this.

     But I have this against you, that you have left your first love (vs 4).

     It seems that habit had replaced love. They were doing the right things. They were patiently enduring, they were weeding out the false teachers, carefully guarding the truth, standing firm without growing weary, all for the name of Christ. However, the fire had gone out. Love was gone, replaced by the routine of doing the things that christians are supposed to do.
     Christ is not so impressed by the deed, but looks at the motivation of the heart. Deeds done without love, are just filthy in His eyes as any other sinful act! True love for God will always produce the deeds that please Him.
     What was Christ's instruction to this church?

     Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place- unless you repent (vs 5).

     Jesus called on them to look back at how it was at first. They were to recall the passion, the love for Him that once motivated them to great things done for His name. They were to have a complete change of mind and heart. they needed to return to the way it used to be. Love must once again become the mainspring of all their action.
     It is no different today. Many christians stiil do the things they have always done. They still hold to a moral standard of living. They at one time loved Christ with a passion, but now it is a hollow empty life of service done for other reasons. The answer? Remember the way it used to be, the love, the passion, the devotion, and repent. Come before God with a sorrowful heart, find His grace, and let Him light the fire in your heart once again. Love Him again, like at the first, when you would do anything for Him no matter how big or small, easy or difficult, because you loved Him, the one who gave Himself for you.