BE MOTIVATED BY LOVING RELATIONSHIP
BE MOTIVATED BY LOVING RELATIONSHIP
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. 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 2:2-5
It is interesting that the church in Ephesus was known by our Lord…
- For their works
- For their toil
- For their patient endurance
- For not bearing with those who are evil
- For testing those calling themselves apostles, but are not
- For them enduring patiently
- For them bearing up/suffering for His Name’s sake
- For them not growing weary
Wow! That is quite a testimony and many would look at this and think they are doing fine. But then we read this as our Lord probes deeper—
“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.”
There is a relational issue going on here. All that is listed above was outward, but what was their heart’s motivation. One can be busy for the Lord, but distant from Him. They are challenged to remember their loving relationship and are to turn back to it and do the works from that motivation. Otherwise, even with all they are doing, their witness could be taken away. They need to repent and return to the love for the Lord they had abandoned!
Dear Father, may I, out of love for You, be serving You. Please help it not be out of any other motivation than for my love for Jesus and all that He is and all that He has done for me. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOd7Eedu-M0