Day Two in the Wilderness

 

To the church in Ephesus.......

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." Revelation 2:4-5 NIV 

I've backtracked from yesterday where I talked about being lukewarm (To the church in Laodicea) in Chapter 3 to The church of Ephesus in Chapter 2. After having looked closely at these two churches I'm convinced that there is a need to start at the beginning. After all, if the angel instructed John to write to each of the seven churches it would be reasonable to assume there is something to learn from each. Each morning as I pray for God to direct my path  it's becoming clearer that my 40 day wilderness journey may just be spent in the book of Revelation. While puzzled and surprised I also excited. But we shall see, each day is a new day and each day will bring it's own purpose. 

When I first read this passage I wondered if somehow it would pertain to the Christian walk, distinctively MY walk with Jesus. 

"Yet I hold this against you" - The Ephesian church had persevered and had patience (vs3) ....they labored for the sake of Christ....by all outward appearances they were a solid church. 

"They worked hard, had great outreach and protected the integrity of the gospel." (Enduring Word Commentary)

But they had lost their fervor, their passion.....they were doing all the right things. Their APPEARANCE was above reproach. But INSIDE?              

"You have forsaken you first love" - Did they leave their love for God? Did they leave their love for one another? A bit of both - since the two are really interconnected or should be. 

I love this quote: "You can't say you love God and not love His family, and you can't really love His family without loving Him first." (Enduring Word Commentary)

Everyone's salvation story is different. Some have a really powerful "I felt slapped in face" experience. Some, like myself, have a definite calling but it's a gradual wooing....you KNOW there's something but you're not quite sure....you follow because it's a strong prompting.....you just do it because, well for me, when you're in a really hard place, you want out. Out from your circumstances, from pain.....and even if the leading doesn't alleviate the cause of your strife,  instinctively you know this is the only way.

As God leads and you begin to follow, He begins to work His purpose into your very being. You can't believe it! It's amazing! You're ALL IN! You want everyone to know what's happening to you, how your heart has been quickened! It's exciting! You can't get enough! You study your Bible and go to church.....you get involved, you volunteer for every ministry! You are SO excited to serve that you try everything in order to serve where you best fit. It's a time of glorious awakening. I can't help but think how glorified God is! How much joy it brings to Him! As one of my devotionals said, "it brings a smile to His face"..... and for us, we fall to our knees in THE greatest thanksgiving beyond ANYTHING we've ever experienced.....EVER! 

The way I see it (and I speak from my own experience) there are two things that can happen or "WILL" happen. 

• Do all the right things....go to church, go to Bible study, maintain a flawless outside appearance....but inside my heart is just not in it

• Become sedentary, lazy, the excitement fades, it's all familiar.......

     OR I CAN experience this:

• A deepening relationship with my Savior that becomes more intimate, better with time. The Enduring Word commentary puts it this way:

"A couple that has been married for a long time doesn't always have the same thrill of excitement they when they first dated. That is to be expected, and is fine --- IF that excitement has matured into a depth of love that makes it even better than the first love."

Ahhhhh to have that relationship with Jesus. Its what I want. My hearts desire. To know Him so intimately that words aren't necessary. So deep. So beautiful. So exciting.

I am already gaining SO much from my journey in the wilderness. That's not to say that two days in I don't miss my connection. How is little Katelyn doing with her cancer treatment? How is Franz in his struggle to recover from a devastating skiing accident? Then I realize that even when I don't know day to day how they are doing I can still pray for them! My role is to pray. I don't know them personally nor their families. Though I don't know their progress, I can still pray! How precious! Look to what you DO know Dianna! Don't dwell on that you don't!

God, thank you. You are amazing!