Return to Your First Love

“But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.

Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”

— Revelation 2:4–5a (CSB)

Background

Decades after Paul’s ministry ended and the Ephesian riot faded, the church he helped plant was still standing.

Strong. Disciplined. Doctrinally sound. Resilient.

But something had changed.

In Revelation 2, Jesus speaks directly to the church in Ephesus. He affirms their perseverance, their rejection of false teachers, their hard work.

But then He says something that cuts deep:

“You’ve forgotten your first love.”

It wasn’t rebellion. It was drift.

They were still doing the right things—but something vital was missing.

The fire had cooled.

The relationship had turned into routine.

And Jesus wanted their hearts back.

Devotional

Ephesus had seen miracles.

They had heard Paul.

They had watched God move.

But they had allowed faithfulness to turn into function.

It’s a warning—and an invitation.

You can be active in church… grounded in truth… devoted to ministry… and still be distant from Jesus.

But He doesn’t shame them.

He calls them.

He says, “Return.” Come back to the passion. Come back to the love. Come back to Me.

Sacred places aren’t just about where you’ve been.

They’re about what you carry from them.

And if the fire has dimmed, He’s still standing here—ready to rekindle it.

Prayer

Jesus,

Forgive me for the times I’ve followed You out of habit, but not out of love.

I don’t want routine—I want relationship.

Draw me back to my first love. Stir up passion where I’ve grown numb.

Make my heart Yours again.

Amen.

Reflective Question

Has your walk with Jesus become routine?

What would it look like for you to return—not just to right living, but to deep love?