When Love Wears Out, Don’t Throw it Away
2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 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 2:2–5 ESV Read More
Often times, after we’ve been doing something for a long time, we forget and take for granted the original drive that got us started. If we’ve volunteered somewhere for a long time we’ve forgotten what moved us to care about that organization in the first place. If we coach a team we’ve forgotten the joy of helping a little girl kick her first goal. In marriage, people forget the sense of humor that first made them notice their husband. At a church, people forget that “This is just what we’ve been looking for” moment they had during a certain song.
Notice that as Jesus addresses the church in Ephesus, He doesn’t tell them that it’s all bad and hopeless. He sees all kinds of good things that they are doing. They have shown great endurance and longevity in a lot of areas. The original love they had is what is lacking. Broaden this out to things that you do today. You still do a good job, you have been through a lot, but there is a love that isn’t present anymore. Too often we hear of people giving up on things like jobs, marriages, ministry, because it lost its luster. The thing about valuable things is that when they lose their luster, you can polish them up again! A child’s plastic toy wears out and is scratched up, but a fine diamond ring can be passed down for generations!
Remember the old ways, the love you had when Christ’s salvation meant “Oh my gosh! God really loves me!” Instead of “Dang, is this my Sunday to volunteer? Call Randy and tell him we’ll have to wait until next weekend! {Pouts}.”
Jesus doesn’t change even though people do. We can be thankful for both of those truths. However we have changed and started to get off course from the original saving love of Jesus we experienced back in the day, we can turn back. Get that polish out and the old rag and put the shine back on your love for Jesus. Don’t grow weary. You’ll never get what it’s worth at a yard sale anyway.
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Editor’s note: Sorry to Bret and Austin who are encouraging us away from the word “volunteer.” It just fit in the context up there.