Picture a couple walking hand in hand, long endless conversations, multiple text exchanges each day. We see broad smiles, tender hugs, and starry eyes. Fast forward 3 months, 3 years, or 3 decades later and many times (depending on the age/stage of the couple), the long conversations, starry eyes, and warm gestures of affection don’t seem as plentiful. It’s a case of love gone cold. I’m sure we all know a couple that this has happened to. Or maybe you have experienced this personally.
The church in Ephesus also experienced a season of love gone cold. Revelation 2:1-7 describes a church that was praised for many solid virtues such as hard work, perseverance, uncompromising doctrinal beliefs and discerning between good and evil. They were doing all the right things, yet were lacking in one essential element-love. They lacked first love intensity for Christ and I might speculate that resulted in decreased love for others. Without love, our spiritual gifts are useless. Without love, our testimony is invalid. And as John warned in Revelation 2, without love, the church would lose its light and its ability to function as the body of Christ.
To those who have overcome this “love gone cold” phenomenon, Christ promises eternity with Him in paradise. John shares the words of Jesus in addressing how to rekindle a love gone cold: remember, repent, and redo. Remember where you were with regards to loving Christ and compare that to where you are now. Repent and turn back to Christ with renewed intensity and fervor. Redo the things that you used to do when you first came to Christ. Repeat the devoted service, the fire for sharing your testimony and the good news of Christ, and the compassion for others that you demonstrated in the beginning of your walk with Christ.
Our challenge as Christ’s bride church today is to reignite the flames of love for Him and others.
Try this family application tip. Prepare a favorite family dish that your family likes to eat warm, but serve it cold. Talk about how much more palatable the food is when warm. Warm the food and enjoy it together. Discuss practical ways your family can demonstrate a warm love for Christ.
