“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
2 “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favour: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.
7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. (Rev. 2:1-7).
The first century church in Ephesus started out well but they became "loveless", as my NKJV Study Bible heads this passage in Revelation. In the light of my recent blogs they had lost their “raw love”.
When they had been converted, the Ephesians had discarded their attachments and had only wanted to be in the presence of Jesus. Regardless of who was speaking, what was happening or the consequences, they only wanted to worship Jesus.
Jesus is imploring the Ephesians to return to this love, to the spiritual vitality that exists in eagerly and joyfully seeking Jesus above all others. He wanted them to turn their eyes, ears and hearts to Him as if they were outside of time and space.
Jesus was inviting the Ephesians back to the raw.
Jesus is inviting you back to the raw, too. He wants you to seek after the things that He sought, to honour the words that He said, to practise the behaviours that He modelled. Jesus invites you to turn away from the distractions of this world and to solely focus on His face and His heart and what He has anointed.
Take the time to sit with Him and let Him speak to your heart. Nothing else in this life matters. Don’t allow any distance or space between you and Jesus. Just be raw with Jesus.
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All quotations are from the NLT.