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Revelation 2:4–5
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works…”

The first Sunday of the year is a sacred threshold—a doorway into what the next twelve months may become. Christ’s words to the church at Ephesus are startling. They were doctrinally sound, morally upright, hardworking, and spiritually disciplined. Yet Jesus says, “I have somewhat against thee.” Why? Because they had drifted from their first love.

Drifting seldom feels dramatic. It is quiet, subtle, slow. We don’t leap away from our first love—we simply loosen our grip. The embers cool little by little. Jesus, in tender severity, calls them to remember. Memory is a spiritual tool. Revival begins when we remember what our love for Christ once felt like—fresh, joyful, wholehearted, unashamed.

He then calls them to repent—not simply to feel sorry, but to realign their hearts. Repentance is not a sigh; it is a turning. It is the bridge back to intimacy. Repentance restores what routine cannot. Repentance rekindles what programs cannot. Repentance reawakens what busyness has smothered.

Finally, Jesus says, “do the first works.” Love is revealed in habits. The early days of our walk with Christ were marked by eager obedience, vibrant prayer, hunger for Scripture, and joy in serving. When first love fades, these practices often fade with it. Revival is not discovered through emotion alone; it is rebuilt through returning to these “first works.”

On this Lord’s Day, Christ gently invites you back—not with condemnation but with compassion. He is not shaming you for drifting; He is drawing you back into closeness. First love is not a memory meant to be mourned. It is a flame meant to be rekindled.

As you worship today, ask yourself: Has your love grown cold? Have duties replaced devotion? Has faithfulness replaced affection? Jesus is not asking for more activity—He is asking for your heart.

Return to your first love. The year will be shaped by the affection you cultivate today.