Bible Reading: Hosea 5; 6; 7; 8; Revelation 2.
Memory Verse: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Revelation 2:4 (KJV)
Love is generally the feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment. It is a mix of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs associated with strong feelings of affection, protectiveness, warmth and respect for another. Based on this, one could rank his love for others hierarchically starting with the first to the last. The bible tells us of the characteristics of true love. These are stated in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV), “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; [5] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; [6] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” This is the love God has for us and is the same love that God expects us to have for him.
Most people when they give their lives to Christ, they place God above everything else, God becomes the first on their scale of decision making and preference as well. However as they interact with other people from day to day, they tend to reduce their affection for God in favour of other things of the world. Why? Because they interact more with the world and will prefer to behave reflecting the world! This is how God tend to fall from first to middle or lower levels of love in the lives of some Christians. Where is God in your life? Do you still consult him first in all you do? Or you go back to him only when things are challenging? It is important to note that God is a jealous God and does not share his glory with anybody. He wants to remain the first in your life. That’s why he told the Church in Ephesus that though they were patient, laboured for his name, in Revelation 2:4 (KJV), “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
Who is your first love now? Is it your spouse, child, fiancée, an artiste, your boss or even your pastor? You need to repent and make Jesus your first love as He is ready to remove those who are not ready to make Him their first love from his kingdom. I pray you will reign with Christ in Jesus name.
Prayer: In the name of Jesus, I dethrone today, everyone and everything that is occupying the position of first love in my life. Jesus I enthrone you as my first love.