Falling in Love with Jesus
I still remember the day that it was a strange feeling to wake up early to read my Bible and pray. This was something I started in Montana, but quickly brought back to my daily life as I tried to live out a life as a Christian. It took different forms, but it ultimately centered on the reading and meditation of God’s Word, because I knew I needed it. I needed to place those words in my heart to live a better life. And it is the same for any action that brings us closer to God — we need to continually do them. Take for example this heed from Jesus in Revelation:
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
When someone fades away from their first love, whether Jesus or another person, they usually stop taking the actions that helped cultivate that love in the first place. The man stops writing letters, sharing tender moments, or taking their wife on dates, for example. It’s the myth you often see in books and movies that display divorce — they present the story as something that naturally faded, when the truth is that a love gone cold always begins with choices.
The same goes for our love with Jesus. We cannot forsake our first love, for it is the most important relationship we have been given. We must spend time growing our desire and devotion to him, and it is only then that love feels less like a discipline. This includes the obvious spiritual disciplines: time in his Word, time in prayer, and time in worship. But there are also the hidden treasures of your relationship with God, the moments where you personally love him deeply. Whether it’s a walk in nature, a bath with classical music, or a handwritten journal, do the things that connect you to God. Let your love flourish with the one who made you.
*Revelation 2:4–5a
