Dry Devotion

DRY DEVOTION

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” - Revelation 2:4

As I write this, certain areas of the United States are facing a mighty drought. This has created several challenges to the residents of these states. Without rain, crops will not grow and cattle can't be nourished properly. Water restrictions are typically enacted during such times. In spite of all of man's ingenuity, there are still crucial things that only God can provide.

Sadly, there is a spiritual drought in America. You would think that America would be a spiritual oasis that other nations would seek, but instead, our spiritual soil is dry and cracking. While millions of souls are dying of spiritual thirst, most churches have little to offer the thirsty.

The church at Ephesus had a great beginning. Paul's ministry there sparked a great revival. Souls were saved. Lives were changed. God was glorified. Eventually, Paul wrote an epistle to this church, which is in our New Testament. When John was commanded to write to the church a few years later, the Lord had several positive things to say about it. However, there was a great problem with the church at Ephesus. The Lord said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” In other words, the Ephesian church didn't love Jesus like they used to. Their church was once a spiritual oasis, but now it was as dry as dust.

This is a major problem in our day. The reason for spiritually dry churches is because the members have left their first love. Churches may have impressive bulletins, numerous activities, various ministries and have impressive budgets, but spiritual passion is either superficial or noticeably absent.

What about your spiritual passion? Do you love Jesus more than ever before? Are you known as a person that knows and loves the Lord?  Are you a worshiper of God?  Do you love Jesus more than anyone or anything?  Be honest.

In Revelation 2:5, the Lord told the Ephesian believers: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” God challenged the church at Ephesus to do three things:

1. REMEMBER

First of all, they were told to remember. The Lord said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen.” I think it is healthy to remember what the Lord has done for you. It is good to remember the day you got saved. Remember the joy you had in your soul. Remember the early days after your conversion. Do you remember how excited you were to go to church? Do you recall how thrilling it was to talk about Jesus with others? Do you remember how much you enjoyed reading your Bible? Think about all the times that God dramatically answered your prayers. Remember how things used to be.

2. REPENT

Next, they were told to repent. Repentance is an unpopular message these days and yet it is the most healthy thing that can happen in a believer's life. Think of repentance as being an exit you use to get off a wrong road and on to the right road. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Why continue struggling through a spiritual desert when you can turn around and find a refreshing fountain that you can drink from?

3. RETURN

Finally, the church at Ephesus was told to “do the first works.” In other words, the were told to return to the things of God. There are former Sunday School teachers who need to return to the classroom. There are preachers who've given up, but God is challenging them to get back to preaching. There are church members who've quit attending church, but God is telling them to get back in church. Get back to reading the Bible. Get back to praying. Start giving again. Serve others once more. Return immediately. Get back to the life you once enjoyed.

There's nothing that will end a drought like a good gully washer. The spiritual drought in America is severe. I can't control the rain in other churches. I can't resolve the drought others are experiencing. But I know who controls the heavenly faucet.  Daily, I want to place myself under the spout of God's mercy and receive the showers He sends. Others may stay dry, but that doesn't mean I have to live that way.

You don't either.