Word for Wednesday
Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love. Revelation 2:4
I am reminded of the farmer’s old cow, after she had stood still and allowed the farmer to fill his pail to the brim with lovely white milk, lifted her big splayed foot from the filthy stable floor and placed it in the pail. The folks in the Assembly in Ephesus were like that. There was so much that they could be commended for. For two verses, they sounded like the ideal Assembly, with plenty of discernment, activity, and patience, but… They came up short in a way that ruined it all!
The folks in Ephesus had cooled off. They knew they had everything in good shape, they knew they were up to scratch on doctrine and proper behaviour. But their love had waned. For all that we can commend the Ephesians for, they were lacking in a critical area, so critical that their lampstand was in danger of being withdrawn. Before we criticize these folks too vigorously, let us examine our own love for the Lord and His people. Is our love what it once was?
We all know that our spiritual ardour waxes and wanes as we allow circumstances and our own personal agendas to affect us. We remember the excitement of the new birth, when we first trusted Christ. We remember how the Word of God became an open Book to us, how the company of the Lord’s people became precious, how spiritual life became more important than our physical life, how the prospect of the rapture thrilled us through and through. Is it like that now? What has happened?
We are like the Ephesians… we have all of our ducks in order except one… except the most important one. Let us draw near to the Saviour today. let us appreciate His great love and sacrifice for us. Let us appreciate His great person and character. Let our souls thrill once again that we are His and He is ours.
How much do we love Him today? Is our candlestick in danger of being removed? -Jim MacIntosh