Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…(Revelation
2: 4-5).
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth (Revelation 3: 15-16).
This is a day to give your heart completely to Jesus in an unreserved way. It is not a day to compromise with the flesh or with the popular opinion of the moment!
I had a dream some time ago. In the dream I was at a conference meeting with other believers in a fairly wide yet not too deep room. Four women were leading the singing including my lovely wife (she has a hidden talent!). We were singing the old song with my hands lifted up, and my mouth filled with praise, with a heart of thanksgiving, I will bless you O Lord. In the dream I noticed that some were singing with lifted hands, but many were engaged in conversation with others. They seemed oblivious to the worship that was going on. And then in the dream I thought to myself as I observed those who were not singing, boy we sure don’t have the passion for Jesus that we once had. We need to come back to our first love. End of dream.
This is a time for consecration and dedication to the Father. So much is at stake. As Peter stated: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8 - NLT).There are distractions everywhere that rob us of time that we could spend with God.
Our hunger defines us. Our appetites show who we are. And they move us towards whatever they promote. If all I do in my spare moments is look at my Facebook account, watch YouTube videos, gaze at Instagram, Tic-Toc, or watch streaming movies, etc, I lose deeply. Where I spend my time indicates where my heart wants to be. Smith Wigglesworth stated, I’d rather have a man on my platform who is not Spirit-filled but hungry than a man who is Spirit –filled and satisfied.
Hunger has great drawing power. Hunger can move you. Smith Wigglesworth also mentioned, I’m only satisfied with the dissatisfaction that has to be satisfied over and over again.
Let me also remind you that our appetites, hungers, and desires follow where we put our attention. Perhaps you’ve slackened off on your relationship with the Lord. You read your Bible less often and pray only sporadically. And perhaps church attendance is hit and miss. Has your first love taken a backseat to other things?
You can change today. Repent for stepping away from your first love. Ask God to recreate a hunger in your life for Him and Him alone. Then, make yourself read and pray. Find a quiet place with your Bible. Read, Pray. Sit quietly. Allow the Lord to renew your life with Him. Get up earlier than normal and spend time with Jesus before work. Desire always follows your attention. Doing something repetitively twenty one to twenty eight days begins the formation of new habits.
Turn off the electronic time stealers and tune in to your eternal relationships with God, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).
Jesus still gives us a passionate invitation: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).