That One Essential Piece

When Jesus wrote a personal letter to be delivered to the ancient church in Ephesus, He filled the note with all sorts of affirming words. These Christians were loyal, hard working, dedicated, and fiery against error and impurity. You can almost see King Jesus smiling as he dictated the opening words of the letter. Then, His beautiful smile over them is exchanged for a serious look of concern. This amazing group of believers was in danger of running completely out of their most essential resource: love for Jesus himself. These ancient words in Rev. 2:1-7 have served to help busy Christians and churches to stay aware of the risk of going through the motions of ministry without guarding their hearts against the danger of loveless work. The most dedicated believers we know occasionally need to revisit these words and do a deep soul-check. Jesus is ready to refill us when our love-tank for Him is near empty.