Dr. Luke
“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)
Vision without sharing dissipates, faith without test weakens, and love without renewal fades. When I first practiced medicine thirty-plus years ago, loving people with passion filled my heart. I spent a long time listening to their concerns, healed their illnesses, and frequently led people to Christ. My heart was full of joy. I built a library in my clinic and let my patients borrow needed spiritual books. I desired to share the gospel with every patient of mine. As time passed, I became more clinically experienced, and my diagnosis became more accurate; yet, I gradually lost my first love amid my busyness. Sometimes, I just hoped to get the demanding job done for the day. I did not care for my patients’ needs.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) God let me be aware of my problem of losing my first love. I seriously confessed and repented before God and asked for His forgiveness. I asked God to help me find my first love for God and people. God is faithful, He gradually changed me, and I found my first love again.
How about you? You may have believed in the Lord for a long time. You may have served in the church for a long time. You are even able to handle all servings with ease. However, with various church events, you have slowly lost your love and patience for people. You may be a very responsible teacher, yet you have lost your vision for becoming a teacher, that is, to impact and build your students’ lives with your life. You may have been married for a long time, but after the many storms in life, you often fight over big and small matters, even when you still live with your spouse under the same roof. You have already forgotten your pledge before God on your wedding day. If you think you have gradually lost your first love, let us come before God together to confess and repent of our sins. Let God restore our first love for Him and His people.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23)