Grace World Outreach Church
Day 4
First Things First
By: Daniel Norris
“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.” (Revelation 2:4–5, NIV)
Why do most kids’ Christmas gifts come labeled with “some assembly required”? If you’ve ever spent a late Christmas Eve in the garage trying to quietly piece together a surprise, you know that “some” usually means “a lot.”
One year, the kids got a swing set. Excited to check it off the list, I rushed the process. I got through 90% of the build without any issues, but I overlooked one thing: the very first step. Everything was structurally sound, but slightly off. It wasn’t until the very end that I realized missing that one thing meant the whole thing had to come apart and start again.
In Revelation 2, Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus. He commends them for their endurance, discernment, and perseverance. Yet there’s one issue. They had forsaken their first love. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “You’re doing so many things right, but you missed the first step. And because of that, everything else is just out of line.”
The correction is clear, but so is the invitation: “Repent and do the things you did at first.” Go back. Start again.
Return to the beginning, where love burned bright and your walk with Jesus wasn’t duty, but delight.
What does that look like? It’s the joy you felt the moment you were saved. The hunger that drove you to seek Him in the quiet. The purity in your worship when no one was watching. That first love wasn’t complicated. It wasn’t performance based. It was passionate, real, and relational.
As we step into a brand new year, don’t rush ahead and forget the foundation. Start with what matters most. Jesus wants your heart. He wants you to know Him, His heart and His voice.
So today, before you make resolutions or plans, return. Let this be a holy reset. Bring your heart back to the altar and allow His love to renew your devotion. Everything else will find its place when He holds the first.
Reflection:
- What things might have slowly crowded out your affection for Jesus?
- When you first met Him, what rhythms or moments kept your love alive?
- What would it look like for your heart to become an altar again?
Prayer:
Father, thank You for calling me back to my first love. Forgive me for the moments when I worked for You but neglected being with You. Today I return, bringing my heart, my time, my affection, and my attention back to You. Renew the fire of devotion in me. Restore the joy of Your presence. Let my heart become an altar where Your love burns again. Make all things new in me, starting today. In Jesus’ name, amen.