“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” (Rev. 2:4)
In any marriage there are many avenues that can lead to deterioration or towards growth, becoming callous towards what one once sought so hard to accomplish is a sure-fire way for stagnation, not realizing what the cost was to yourself or your spouse is another.
Most people get married after a short period of infatuation, their emotions are not kept in check, and they are easily persuaded by them. Few will take the time to seriously consider the other beyond those emotional needs, and as time goes on, the intellect begins to finally digest the circumstances that the emotions had control over in those initial months. It is why the divorce rate is always growing exponentially.
Our relationship with the Lord is no different for some, they have left their first love because it was a love based solely on emotions, it sought its own whether it would admit it or not. We are to “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18) and that cannot happen in a Sunday morning only relationship, it will not happen to those who still live in and for the world, and unless you study diligently to show yourself approved, (2 Tim. 2:15) you will leave your first love and not even realize it.
Marriage, as our relationship to the Lord does, only works when there is self-sacrifice, He who gave His life on that cross has not forgotten us, He intercedes for us on a regular basis, (Romans 8:34) the Holy Spirit has been sent to us to assist us in continuing in that growth, (John 14:26) He has sent His angels as ministering spirits for us (Heb. 1:14) and the Father has made it possible for us to be called the sons of God. (Romans 8:14) “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8) A marriage grows when trust is proven, when forgiveness is offered, when love is the driving force, when commitment is an action, not just words said on the marriage day, it is a lifelong devoted service expecting nothing in return. When we leave our first love, we forget these promises, these words spoken, we forget that each day is meant to be something we are to grow in, and we begin to look at ourselves and our perceived needs and wants above those of our spouse.
“I was baptized,” “I accepted the Lord,” these are just two of the excuses out of thousands that people who claim to know Jesus Christ as Lord will use when confronted with the callousness that is so easily visible in them. They have not only forgotten, or willfully neglected to “grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord,” (2 Peter 3:18) but have left behind all thoughts of seeing each day in His presence as a first date, being on their “best behavior” at all times, rejoicing in the fact that He has even lowered Himself to look upon the dust that we are.
A relationship of love creates a sense of security that cannot be explained, it brings a peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7) when the difficult times arrive, in truth Deuteronomy 31:8 is rejoiced in, “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Your spouse if you are so fortunate and blessed shows this type of love to you, exhibits it each day in one form or another, but there is one thing they cannot do, no matter how deep and abiding that love is, they cannot turn that heart of stone into one of flesh, (Eze. 36:26) only the love of Jesus Christ can do that.
If you truly love Him, then you love Him more than your spouse, and they love Him more than they love you. That is why the marriages that will last throughout all of eternity have three persons in that marriage. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3)
