“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.” — Revelation 2:4–5 (ESV)
Spiritual Slumps
Slumps happen to the best baseball players. In 1960, Baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle had an 0-for-20 batting slump. In Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt’s rookie year of 1973, he ended the season going 0-for-26 and finished the year with a .192 batting average, including 136 strikeouts in 367 at-bats. Hall of Famer Willie Mays had a 0-for-24 slump in 1965. Baseball’s longest hitless streak belongs to former Cub’s pitcher Bob Buhl who went 0-for-88 over a two-year period.
Just like baseball players, churches can go through spiritual slumps. Although the church in Ephesus had a great start, Revelation 2:4 tells us they “left their first love.” Thirty-five years earlier, Paul wrote to the Ephesians (1:15-16) stating, “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”
By this time, however, most of the believers in Ephesus were second generation Christians who lost their love and devotion for Christ. All Christian service must be motivated by love for Him. To regain their love, Jesus admonished them in Revelation 2:5 to “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first.”
Remembering, repenting and redoing will restore lost love. As the Church puts love for Him first, all service will be pure and honoring unto Him. A loving Church will always be a glowing and shining light for Him.
Dear Lord, bless our hearts with love for You. Amen.
— Michael Kinney
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
