First Love - Revelation 2:1-7
By Ron Morrow
There is nothing quite like the feeling of being in love. When you’re together, time seems to stand still and the world around you fades into the background. When you’re apart, you feel as though a piece of you is missing and you count down the moments until you can be together again.
In the lead-up to John Maury’s sermon, Rebecca Alfred asked a question: “When did you first fall in love with Jesus?” I don’t know about you, but I struggled with that one. I attended Sunday School as a kid, raised my hand at a Billy Graham Crusade several years later to accept Jesus as my Saviour, and participated in church youth groups at various times during my teens and early twenties. However, I coasted for many years on the knowledge that Jesus loved me. I prayed, He forgave my sins and that was good enough for me.
Falling in love with Jesus was a long, slow process. Jesus patiently and lovingly watered the seeds that had remained hidden in the soil for many years. In time, they sprouted and began to produce fruit. One day I realized that Bible study and prayer were no longer something I struggled to make time for. They had become a natural extension of my love for Jesus.
In his sermon, John talked about the danger of losing our first love for Jesus. We are the church. We have been handed an amazing gift by those who started this church over a hundred years ago, and those who have faithfully cared for it ever since. It’s a gift that we will pass on to future generations. However, as John noted, the warning to the Church at Ephesus is for us as well. Unless we return to our first love, we won’t be around for long.
Here are a few questions that occurred to me. Please feel free to add your own. What are you doing to nourish your relationship with Jesus? In what ways do you allow Him to nourish His relationship with you? Who are the people within our congregation that you are watering? Who are the people that water you?
We are all in this together. We are the church. A church that, God willing, will remain here “until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away.”
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2 Comments
Ron,
Thank you so much for writing this beautiful reflection. We are so blessed to have you as a member of the church. Your questions to reflect on, really hit the spot because YOU are the "people" that water me. As a matter of fact, I've learned that the members of Weston Park play a huge role in my life and my growth spiritually. I've been away on Manitoulin Island running my cafe and I deeply miss my connection with the 20' and 30's group, I miss singing on the praise team, and the morning greetings just as the service starts. This love that we have for one another is God's way of showing us He is present. You're absolutely right, we are all in this together!
Thanks Ron for your reflection on John’s timely sermon that encouraged us to do some soul- searching by remembering our “first love.” Ron, here is my meager attempt to reflect on your questions.
What are you doing to nourish your relationship with Jesus? In what ways do you allow Him to nourish His relationship with you?
I nurture my relationship with God through a constant discipline of bible reading, prayers, church- fellowship and by practicing the presence of God with me. Living out of a prayer that is based on Romans 12: 1-2, I prayer that the Lord will give me eyes to see people and circumstances as He wants me to, to hear them with His compassionate listening, to fill my heart with His loving care and to put my feet in the right place at the right time to help whoever is in need. I ask God to give me an instructed tongue to have the words to say to the weary. At the end of the day, I return all the glory back to God. Often I review my thoughts, words and actions to determine if I have offended anyone and if I have I try to talk to them and make peace with them as quickly as possible.
Who are the people within our congregation that you are watering? Who are the people that water you?
Weekly, I water patients in fourteen areas of Humber River Hospital. At the church, I love to pray for those who come up for prayer either at the front of the church or in the library after church. Recently, I have been helping Bonnie P. with Sunday School as we serve the youngest group of three and four year old children.
Every week my life is watered by being a member of Weston Park Baptist Church, the weekly worship service, Pastor Alan’s sermon, the songs that the praise team leads us in, the worship leaders and all of the programs including After Thoughts. My life is also watered within the context of SWIFT self-help group at Lampe Community Center each week. Building intimate relationships within this setting fosters my holistic well-being.