“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 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 lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
Comment: Do you see Jesus as right handed, left handed or ambidextrous? I quite frankly see Him in His Almighty Power as ambidextrous, but here I think that He names Himself as holding the the seven churches (stars) in His right hand because that is commonly seen as the powerful hand. Jesus holds the Church Universal and individual churches in His Power! Jesus sees the Ephesian Church’s commitment, effort and persistence and also sees that they can’t tolerate evil. He praises them for rooting out heresy. Jesus praises them for their endurance and suffering for Jesus’ sake! ‘But’ – when said after praise – forebodes something to fear! ‘I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place‘. Surely that is enough to make people sit up and take note! Their church wiped off the map! There is an escape clause graciously given by Jesus! ‘Unless you repent.‘ What is repentance? It certainly is more than just ‘being sorry’! “Sincere remorse followed by actions that show a change for the better; Turning away from sin toward God; confession and a resolve to live a more obedient and godly life!” But what are the Ephesians accused of? Jesus said, ‘you have abandoned the love you had at first!’ No doubt at this point John remembered what Jesus said to His disciples on the evening on which He was later betrayed “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’ (Jn 15:12) May you and I and our churches remember it as well. Jesus then combined a severe disciplinary ‘threat’ with a gracious last word of praise! The ending – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”. – is a great incentive to repent and love ‘with that first love’!
1 Corinthians 13: 1&2 – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
Prayer: My love isn’t perfect, my Lord. Please by Your Spirit strengthen my efforts to love more with Your sort of steadfast faithful love.