Day 224

There is no hiding from God. He knows it all. Even the things we do “in secret”. Nothing is secret with Him. No “In Private” living allowed. And that is what Jesus says to each of these churches. Jesus notices both the things done well, and those at which we fail.

It can be easy to lose our first love. Spouses often talk about loving their spouse, but not being “in love” with them. They have lost their first love. So what is this first love that gets lost?

First love is the love that looks only for the good in the other person, and willingly, freely overlooks the bad. We choose to look past the flaws and see someone of great value. If couples keep that, they stay in love. We are told to forgive. When we do that, we stay in love. We continue to make choices that value that other person. We stay focused and dedicated to the other.

So when we find another object of these kinds of choices, another person or a different distraction, then we fall out of love. We choose to view the the object with the eyes we once had for our spouse. We stop choosing to overlook and forgive.

The people in Ephesus stopped choosing Jesus. They perhaps starting to focus on their troubles and trials. The simply stopped doing the things the did at first. (They didn’t open the car door, or buy the flowers, or put on the makeup.) Their dedication to Jesus had weaned. 

When we have the Lord we are rich, even if our bank account is empty. Even when impending suffering is coming, we can be rich! True wealth has to do with an intangible quality, often born out and experienced in our relationships with others. The happiest people are married people, not single individuals. The most fulfilling intimacy takes place between married people, not on the one night stands. We can be rich in our relationship with the Lord and work that out by having deep, fulfilling relationships with others.

We don’t want to sell out to this world’s values and priorities. Money must not become the driving force in our lives. It cannot become the object of our heart. Balaam sold out for profit. Will we? Are we willing to make the needed sacrifices now, so that money does not overtake us?

There are no “quick fixes”, no “hidden secrets”, no “special insights” that will propel your spiritual life into high gear. Instead of helping your spiritual life, these kinds of books, seminars and speakers will do exactly the opposite. They will lead you down a dead end road. And when you get there you will have spent valuable time and energy and be further away from fulfillment in Christ than when you began. So don’t go there. Get back to the basics, which always lead to greater depth in relationship and fulfillment. Bible reading and study, fellowship with other believers, and prayer.

Then we can have “ears to hear”. Look in the mirror. Do you have the ability to hear? Can you read the words on this screen? Then open your heart to God’s voice. You have ears to hear.