“I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” Revelation 2:3-5 ESV

We’ve been in quarantine in Craiova, Romania for a few days now. Myself and a few others on the squad tested positive with Covid and the Lord knew this would be our situation. A squad-mate equated these 2 weeks as our wilderness before ministry. We get to pray, worship, dig deep into scripture and fight some spiritual battles from victory for those in persecution across the world. 

This morning we prayed over youth in Romania. My new friend Claran said, “Pray over them the prayers that you prayed at their age.”  A simple reminder of myself years ago gave me a fire this morning. 

I have drifted and lost the love I had at first. That love of a wonderful savior who bled and died for me! Thank you Jesus for loving me and letting me taste again of that love that set me on fire. I was reminded of Revelation 2:4, “…you have abandoned the love you had at first”. I don’t want to forget that first love that I had when I heard the beauty of the gospel; the good news, the best news!!

I have recently been fascinated by the Fear of God in scripture and the lack of it in our culture. When talking with a friend about fearing God, a phrase came out that sums up where I am right now. 

“I want to fear God so much that I’m afraid of leaving His love and presence.”

How often I lack His love. Though not from there being an insufficient outpouring, but from an inconsistence of my awareness of it. I have to remind myself to remain in His unchanging love. I must continually come back to my first love.

“I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.” John 15:9-11 AMP