Have you noticed how the exuberant love and passion you had for Christ when you first accepted Him tends to wane and grow cold? It seems to be our default key! For this to happen, we don’t have to do anything! How can we stir up “first love”, the kind of love that makes you joyful, that causes you to look forward to spending time in His Word, to serving Him, to genuine worship and prayer? What’s the key?

This is a topic worth pursuing! To grasp this I find it’s helpful to look at your marriage relationship..every relationship withers unless you spend time on it! Communication is key! When you were dating you couldn’t spend enough time together but some couples I have counseled I learned were only spending 7 minutes a week in meaningful conversation! Then there are the little acts of service. You used to love to do them but soon the busyness of life took over. The little touches, the hugs, the words of love. Are they still there? This is what builds and stirs up love! Neglect causes coldness every time!

When Jesus was exhorting the church in Revelation 2 He mentions all the good things they were doing but they lacked one thing; the main thing! They had left their first love! How do we know it was the main thing? Because when a Scribe asked Him in Mark 12 what commandment was most important of all He said, “the most important is, “Hear, O. Israel: The Lord our God , The Lord is one. And you shall LOVE The Lord your God with all your heart and with your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…and your neighbor as yourself” Mark .12:29-31

Love! The church in Ephesus was doing some good things but they had departed in their hearts and when that happens the feet soon follow! He wants our hearts! God is searching, looking for hearts full of love! Well, how do we get back to that place? Listen! ” We love Him, because He first loved us” 1 John 4:19. He is the source of love! Focus on the cross! Focus on His care for you! His choosing to save you! The fact He will never abandon you and that you were given the Holy Spirit and will live in heaven with Him! Count your blessings, name them one by one! Make a list! Restart the engine folks! Stop focusing on your problems! You are His child and He loves you! That ought to get you thanking Him.

Then, in the beautiful book of the Song of Solomon, we see a love relationship restored. He gives his bride beautiful words of love and says ” Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch us the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” SS:2:14,15.

Do you have some “little foxes” that are coming between you and Jesus, stealing the fruit? Stealing love? Stir up love! Praise Him! Sing songs! He is our beloved and He longs for your love today. Don’t miss out on the joy!

Terry